


black or white

by torinokomachi



Series: growing in color [1]
Category: Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Humor, Canon-Typical Violence, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Families of Choice, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Genderqueer Character, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Major Original Character(s), Male-Female Friendship, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV First Person, Self-Indulgent, Self-Insert, What happens when you put a Shounen Protagonist into a Joshimuke setting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:55:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 38,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25395727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torinokomachi/pseuds/torinokomachi
Summary: When you woke up to a cat monster from hell that tried to burn you alive as soon as you wake up, learn that you’re in a world where Disney movie villains are turned and twisted into pretty boys, that you have no magic, can’t go home anywhere, and with an appearance that is definitely not yours in short order... well, even weirder things might as well happen.Or alternatively:BE PUNTED INTO A PLAYER CHARACTERYou are now Shiina Yuu, and you are heavily disoriented
Series: growing in color [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2023450
Comments: 43
Kudos: 132





	1. Welcome to Wonderland Alice!

***

You know your day is about to get weird when you woke up to this dark room with a mirror in front of you.

I think I was asleep for a very long time when I finally wake up.

When was the last time I was awake, actually?

I don’t remember if you ask me.

I only know that I slept for a pretty long time.

In the distance, I saw a reflection of myself.

Or it was supposed to be myself.

I never had this ash like brown hair in my first life and my eyes are not even pink either.

And since when did I sleep wearing a female school uniform???

Especially when it’s a Japanese school uniform too!

I was from Chinese descent and while I did learn Japanese, it was conversational at most for as long as I can remember.

But in all seriousness, what the heck?

Waking up from a long sleep is one thing, but waking up and then seeing that the one in front of the mirror is you… yet not, is another.

I don’t feel any differences with the body in a biological sense and I’ve long identified myself as a girl, but the other physical changes, such as my hair color and eyes, along with my face looking slightly different from what I used to remember too, is a weird feeling.

Wait, was my hair even this short? Like boyish undercut like hair short?

I may have prefered short hair over longer hair, the thing is that I never got to try and have this kind of haircut.

Did I also look younger than I remembered??

Before I can understand what happened and why I ended up here, the mirror started to glow.

Green flames lit up the dark room but I can’t comprehend what is going on as some dark energy was oozing out and leaking the whole room.

A voice echoed throughout the room.

_“Ahh my beloved…”_

Um, what?

_“An evil flower so beautiful and noble… You are truly the most beautiful in the world…”_

I feel a strong force coming from the mirror in the room I’m in.

_“Mirror mirror on the wall…”_

…Getting Snow White vibes here. I can hear the next line coming.

_“…Who is the most-“_

The supernatural like energy surrounding the room got stronger and I can’t hear what the voice said next.

All I can make out from what I hear next is the clopping of a horse.

And then there is nothing.

***

_“O soul guided by the Mirror of Darkness…_

_If you so desire it, take the hand that appears in the mirror.”_

***

I opened my eyes to pitch black darkness.

First, I woke up to some room with a giant mirror that looked just like it came from Snow White and now, this pitch black place.

I moved my arm around and felt the space around me to be cramped. Like I’m inside a box;

Now what?

I didn’t get time to decide that when I hear someone speaking.

“Crap, people are coming. Gotta get a uniform while…”

There was some movement in front of me while they are talking to themselves. What’s in front of me is likely a door.

“Ngghhh this lid is too heavy!”

Wait, lid?

Where exactly am I-

There was a blast of blue fire in front of me and I cover my face with my arms as I jump front and landed to the ground with a thud, rolling around before I stood up.

“Why are you awake!?” The voice yelped in surprise. I turn around the area and saw a black cat standing on two feet, staring at me as if I’m a ghost.

From… its? His? The talking cat sounds like a guy, okay, his words, it seems that he expected me to drop dead and not realize what he is planning to do.

But then I realized what room I’m in.

“Why are there floating coffins?” I blurt out my question.

So I was in a coffin this whole time?

But what about that mirror room-

“You got guts to ignore me. You should feel lucky to have seen the great Grim.” I turn my attention back to the talking cat, Grim, who demanded. “Hurry up and hand over those clothes!”

Wha-

“Otherwise…” Flames wreathed its body as he attempts to threaten me. “I’ll roast you!”

…What.

You’re telling me this… this gremlin from hell wanted to burn me alive just to strip me off the only clothes I have in my back???

Oh hell nah-

I have to escape but that thing will chase after me if I run right away. I need to think of a way to distract it before I leave this room.

My eyes scanned the room before it landed at the coffin I was in earlier. The lid to the coffin was open.

I walked away from the… well; monster would be more accurate; that tried to burn me and headed towards the coffin, glancing back at him as I walk towards it.

The monster followed after me as I get closer to the coffin, it is now on the ground with all fours, attempting to pounce at me with his claws.

“You’re not escaping the great Grim!”

He pounced. I side stepped to my left and the monster yelped in panic as he saw me dodging him, jumping into the coffin as he did so.

I quickly grabbed the lid and closed it before he got a chance to react.

I sprinted away from the room as soon as the lid of the coffin closed.

***

I didn’t have a place in mind when I ran, all that kept me going was that I had to run as far as I can, away from that… that chamber of coffins.

Seriously, this place outside of that chamber is bigger than I thought.

I feel like I was running through lots of corridors in my tunnel vision of escaping that room and that monster.

My run came to a stop when I bumped into someone. Stumbling as I try to regain my balance.

“Sorry about that but I am in a rush. See you.”

“Where are you rushing to in that state, young child of man?”

I stopped when the person I bumped into asked me a question.

Without that early tunnel vision, I now look at a pale looking boy who looked about as tall as I am with jet black hair with additional streaks of neon pink coloring the strands of his hair. Or I think it was neon pink.

“Oh, it seems you are hurt, young one.”

Huh?

“Your hands seemed to be burnt.” He pointed towards my hands. I looked at them just as he told me, there were some burn scars littering my hands.

Must be from when that monster burned the coffin I was in.

“Hold still.” The boy held my wrist and pointed a pen with a huge gem adorned above it towards my hands.

I stopped when I saw a glow emitting from the pen and the burns in my hand fading, as if those burns weren’t there in the first place.

That’s… that’s definitely magic. There’s no way burns could heal instantly. Then there was that talking cat monster earlier-

…I just got Isekai’ed aren’t I?

That would certainly explain why I have an appearance that I vaguely recognize as myself, yet not. And how I woke up in that coffin;

Though that means I died before I end up in my current body…

…But if I died, why did I only have the memories of my first life before reincarnating? Why are the memories of my reincarnated self… blank?

…No time to think about it now.

“…Thank you.” I thanked him.

The boy looked at me strangely before a small smile formed at his lips. “You’re welcome, young one.”

Then he started. “Now then, why are you running away from the Entrance Ceremony?”

What.

“What Entrance Ceremony?” I asked.

The boy raised a brow at me.

“…Were you not one of the new students of Night Raven College who are attending the Entrance Ceremony?”

What???

The boy was about to speak something to me but that was interrupted when the area bursted in blue flames.

“There you are human!”

_Oh no._

“This is a warning shot from when you lock me shut in that coffin earlier human!” The monster stood in front of us now, showing off a satisfied grin as he stepped forward.

“Now hand over those clothes unless-“

“I’m neither interested in bestiality nor am I interested in stripping naked for a gremlin who attempted to burn me alive as soon as I woke up just for it to loot some clothes from my corpse.” I blurt out.

Look, I woke up first thing to this talking monster demanding me to strip and hand over my clothes, the only clothes I had on my back, mind you. That’s the only conclusion I could manage to think of as to why this monster demanded my clothes.

If someone in the middle of nowhere demands you to hand over the only clothes you are wearing, I’d consider that they have horrible ideas in mind for what they will do to me.

Either way, what this gremlin wanted out of me is very inappropriate and rude. No matter his reasons for doing so.

…Why am I even blurting that out loud anyway? I wasn’t even this blunt back in my original world.

Meanwhile the gremlin managed to stop attacking for a moment as he pondered at my words.

“What do you mean by-“

He didn’t have the chance to finish that sentence when there was the sound of a whip cracking and bound the gremlin from hell incarnate.

“Fgyaah! Ow! What is this cord-“

“It is not a cord; it is a whip of love!”

The bounded gremlin is now held under the mercy of this tall man with a mask that resembled a crow and a pretty fancy ass looking cape. Crow man then turned to me.

“Ah, I found you at last. You must be one of the new students.”

Um what-

The boy beside me cleared his throat.

“Ah, Vanrouge-kun; Are you on your way to the Entrance Ceremony?” Crow man greeted the boy… Vanrouge;

Vanrouge nodded. “I fear that the invitation to the Entrance Ceremony did not arrive to Malleus again like the previous times so I was about to head over to the Mirror Chamber… and that was when I came across the young one running into me.”

Hearing that, the masked man turned to me with a frown. “You shouldn’t have left the gate on your own.”

“In retrospect, that thing,” I spoke up, pointing towards the bounded cat monster, “burned the coffin I was in.”

Hearing that, the man scrutinized him. “So it seems the culprit was this Familiar.”

Familiar?

“Let me go! I’m not anybody’s familiar!” The cat monster hollered.

“Yes yes, all the rebellious ones always say something along the lines. Please quiet down.”

With a snap, the cat monster was gagged with what I assume as silencing magic.

“Now we shall be off to the Mirror Chamber. I trust that you could help brief the new student then, Vanrouge-kun?”

The crow man left with the cat monster without even hearing our replies.

I stood and stare at Vanrouge. “Is he… always like this?” I motioned my hand to the crow man who just left.

“Unfortunately, yes. At times;” He answered. Before he added, “Apologies about our headmaster, young one;”

Headmaster???

That man with a crow mask is the headmaster???

Am I in some Harry Potter-esque school??

Admittedly, I never follow Harry Potter beyond the one time my school screened “Prisoner of Azkaban” for my peers during elementary but I’m familiar enough with Harry Potter to know that it’s a magic school with a sorting hat.

Anyway;

“May I ask you about what exactly is this place? That cat monster demanded me to simply hand over these clothes on my back and didn’t tell me anything else beyond his threat of wanting me naked.” I explained.

The boy blinked. “My, it seems you are disoriented due to the transportation magic.”

He smiled. “Very well, I shall explain to you as best as this old one can.”

“You don’t seem old, uh…”

“Lilia. Lilia Vanrouge.” He introduced himself. “I shall inform you as we venture to the Chamber.”

We both started walking back towards that chamber of coffins they call the Mirror Chamber. Along the way, Lilia started to explain where I am.

“To start, this is Night Raven College. This is a school where those with magic gather together from all over the world of Twisted Wonderland.”

Twisted Wonderland? That sounded familiar for some reason-

“Only those chosen by the Mirror of Darkness are allowed to enter this school. Those chosen by the Mirror of Darkness are usually brought here by an Ebony Carriage carrying a gate.”

“By gate, you mean the coffins?” I asked.

“Yes.” Lilia affirmed.

That could explain the sound of clopping horse hooves I hear before I woke up in that coffin.

“That Crow man is the Headmaster?” I wondered.

“Yes. Chosen by the Chairman of Night Raven College; His name is Dire Crowley.”

Ah. I nodded at Lilia.

“Now come, young one. We have almost arrived.”

***

Right in front of us, there was a crowd of people gathering around this one mirror and there stood the Headmaster, the cat monster still bound.

I hear him speak to some group of people. “Not only did one student go missing, you have also forgotten to invite Draconia-kun to the Entrance Ceremony that Vanrouge-kun had to come as his representative!”

The room burst into murmurs as the name Draconia was spoken.

“Draconia as in… that Malleus Draconia?”

“He’s in this school?”

The students he addressed at least had the decency to look embarassed at that.

Well, as embarrassed as some of them can be for leaving out someone.

“It’s as I feared.” Lilia let out a sigh as we moved.

I took note of the attire everyone was wearing and also what I’m currently wearing now that adrenaline left my brain.

It’s a black shirt and pants with a purple accented robe covering it.

The shirt and pants are alright, but the robes… Why does this look like that we’re all participating in some ritual to call the demon?

With the crowd wearing the same things as I do, this looks like a weird set up of a cult.

Wait, I remember that school uniform I wore beforehand, did they just magic away my uniform to this???

I’m probably asking way too many questions but in retrospect, this situation I’m in is utterly confusing.

As Lilia and I stepped forward to the chamber, the Headmaster turned. “Ah, there you are.”

Lilia took a look and stepped aside, going towards where some students gathered as the Headmaster gestured his hand to me. “Now come. You are the only one who has yet to be sorted into a dormitory yet. Now step up and stand in front of the mirror. I’ll take care of the racoon.”

I could only comply because I didn’t have a choice. So I walked my way up towards the gigantic mirror that stood in the center of the room.

This mirror seemed familiar…

**“State thy name.”**

My mouth ran faster than my thoughts, like it was instinct;

“My name is Yuu.”

_That’s not my name my name is-_

**“The shape of thy soul is…”**

The mirror paused before it answered.

**“I do not know.”**

There was silence among the crowd and the headmaster implored. “Come again?”

**“I sense not a spark of magic from this one… The colors, the shape, are all nothing.”**

And the mirror declared. **“Therefore, this one is not fit to be in any dorm.”**

Murmurs filled the room and I blanked out as my mind analyzed the situation at hand.

I was born in a world where the concept of magic is but a myth to most of the population. Of course I wouldn’t have magic in any form.

Well, before I reincarnated into my current self, Yuu, at any rate.

Why am I even in this Magician’s academy anyway?

This is starting to sound like your good old Isekai manga plot if you ask me.

…I should actually freak out right now like any normal person but my instinct went on “Analyze and calmly think of a way to get out of the situation first, freak out later.”

Is this because of whatever life I went through as “Yuu” before I was summoned here?

What kind of life did I go through actually-

I felt something tackling me from my right and I stumbled before I recovered my balance on the ground.

I saw the monster cat who called himself Grim who stood and declared. “Then let me take that place! I can use magic unlike that dumb human!”

I got a bad feeling about this-

“If you need proof, I’ll show you how great I am! “

“Everybody get down!”

I obliged to that warning and jumped down from that platform.

I landed onto the ground on my two feet and then blue flames emerged and surrounded the whole room.

“What is going on!?”

“Wahh! Hottt! My butt’s on fire!”

There were way too many voices of people panicking left and right-

_No no make it stop make it stop make them stop talking-_

No. Calm down.

Panicking will get me nowhere in this situation. I don’t even have time to breathe and make clear of what kind of situation I got into but first, I need to deal with what is happening right now.

Steadying my breath bit by bit, I look around the room.

Some of the students are separated and end up scrambling around the room. A group of students are panicking while another group tries to help maintain order and get the panicking students to calm down.

The fire is spreading quickly and the heat is unbearable… and blue flames in general are hotter than normal flames.

In the corner of my eye, I see some of the others just standing by and watching. Like it wasn’t their problem;

I scrunched my brows at the sight. Like, Really?

This might be a magic school but fire is still very much a threat!

Somebody could have gotten badly burnt or die from the fire!

With a goal in mind, I walked my way out to the three students nearest to me who got separated from their groups due to the panic.

“Hey.”

The three students, boys, heard my call.

I couldn’t see their faces but I could make out some of their features. One has tanned skin, one has blue-ish green hair and the last boy has dark purple hair. At least from what I could manage to make out of their features under the hood.

“You’re the magicless kid.” The blue haired one who stood in the middle of the three spoke, recognizing me.

“Talk later.” I interjected. Questioning them, “How well can you use water magic?”

The three looked at each other before answering one by one.

“Not that well but I could still use it.” The tanned one spoke.

“Water is like air to me, I can use them well.” The middle one answered.

“Ehh, pretty decent if you ask me;” The last one admitted.

Well, it’s better than nothing.

“I’m going to need your help to extinguish some of the flames before they spread any further.”

The three stare at me incredulously.

“Why should we listen to someone who didn’t have magic?” The tanned skin one questioned me, perplexed.

I retorted. “It’s either we survive and stop the fire, or we all die from arson and let this fire spread towards the whole building. Would you rather die right on the first day of getting into the school of your dreams?”

That shut them up quickly.

“That’s…”

“He… he has a point…”

…He? Did they think I’m a dude?

…You know what, no time for that.

“So what do we do?” The blue haired one questioned.

I looked around the room to see which area took the most damage. Then I remembered the guy whose butt was burnt.

“Let’s extinguish the flames on the guy who got burned earlier and after that, extinguish the flames around the area. But don’t extinguish the larger flames yet, that’s a death wish in the waiting. So start with the smaller ones before we get there. I’ll keep an eye on the flames.”

The tanned one grinned. “Leave that guy to me; he’s my dorm’s leader!”

“I’ll be following Octavinelle boy to extinguish the flames!” The purple haired one chirped.

“The Octavinelle boy’s name is Lyle.” Lyle drawled out his name and turned to me. “You should come with Ignihyde kid and me and tell us which areas are left to be extinguished.”

“My name’s Mel!” Mel grinned as he followed after Lyle.

I nodded and followed after the duo, observing the area around as we start extinguishing the flames that are starting to spread out.

The duo took out a pen with gems of different colors embeeded to it and channeled magic to it.

Waves of water emerged out of the pen and snuff out the blue flames they saw.

Meanwhile, I scan around the area near us for any flames while the duo stood behind my back, on guard and ready to use their magic.

“Mel, at your left!”

“Aye!” Mel saluted at me.

“Lyle, on your right, two o’clock!”

“Alright.” Lyle nodded at me.

We kept at it for a good while, like our rhythms matched to a beat.

“Is there anywhere else that we need to note of?” Lyle wondered.

Hand on my chin, I observed at which areas are still surrounded with flames.

“Only those surrounded by the larger blue flames are left.” I informed them.

“Leave that to me!” A loud voice declared behind us. We turned to see the tanned student approaching and brought along with the person whose voice I recognized to be the one who got burned.

The person grinned. “Thanks for helping out with the fire on my butt by the way! Kasper told me!”

I looked at Kasper, who turned away as soon as he noticed my gaze. “Look, I don’t want my groovy entrance ceremony to get ruined and it’s a good chance as any!”

Huh. What a way of saying that when your ears are red. Like a stereotypical Tsundere reaction.

“Anyway, I’m Kalim Al-Asim! Dorm head of Scarabia!” Kalim introduced himself and soon asked. “So where are the places that are left to snuff out the flames from?”

Ah right. “Over there.” I pointed my hand to where the larger flames are spreading.

“Ok, lead the way!” Kalim smiled at me.

“We’re coming with you too.” Lyle spoke up.

“The more the merrier, Dorm Head Kalim!” Mel grinned at Kalim.

Kalim grinned back. “Thanks! Now let’s get to it!”

The merry group of one dorm leader, three new students and me, the possibly Isekai’ed person, went on our way around the room to stop the spreading flames.

“Kalim-san on your left, seven O’clock!” I directed.

“Okay!” He grinned as he followed my directions.

“Kasper, right above you!”

“I hear you!” Kasper groaned, not liking the idea of being ordered by anybody, but he complied nonetheless.

Lyle and Mel followed my lead quickly as well as I pointed towards the areas still wreathed in flames.

Having the help of four magicians makes a big difference because the flames are snuffed out very quickly in the blink of an eye.

I didn’t notice how much this has been going on but by the time I noticed it, the flames are completely extinguished.

“…That’s all of it.” I informed them.

“You did great!” Kalim complimented me. “We would have to wait for the teachers to stop the flames from spreading if you didn’t take the initiative to stop them from spreading!”

I couldn’t help show a small smile at that. “It’s nothing. I’m just doing what any normal person would do.”

“You wouldn’t call that normal when you were overly calm throughout the whole situation.” Lyle pointed out at me.

Huh, he has a point. Maybe it’s to do with me having and keeping my reincarnated self’s current emotional response to things… I’ll deal with this momentary disassociation later.

“We managed to prevent a disaster at any rate!” Mel smiled.

“Now let’s head back!” Kalim ordered and so we walked back.

***

By the time the flames are all snuffed out, we returned back to the center of the room and saw two students in front of the Headmaster.

Kalim returned to his position while the three students walked back to their rightful groups while I made my way towards the Headmaster and the two students.

One of them held the cat monster responsible for nearly burning the whole building and he shouted.

**“Off With Your Head!”**

…Why does this guy sound like the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland for some reason?

…Wait.

Oh.

Oh _shit_.

I’m in Twisted Wonderland!?

That mobile game where Disney Villains become pretty boys with Toboso Yana-sensei in the helm for character designs???

 _That_ Twisted Wonderland???

Fuck.

No wonder it sounded familiar!

Then… that means this guy shouting “Off with Your Head” is Riddle Roseheart!

Now that I think about it, I thought the name Kalim seems familiar but I didn’t get time to think about it because it’s a dire situation where we’re on the verge of nearly getting burned alive…

…Yep, given what I’ve gathered right now, I probably got sucked into an Isekai via possibly dying, reincarnated into “Yuu”, and then punted into the world of Twisted Wonderland.

I stopped thinking and got back to the situation at hand to see the gremlin from hell that possess underworld flames, of all things, attempting to use fire again but to no avail. It just looked like a cat that is trying to take off it’s medical cone.

“Huh? I can’t use my flames!?”

Riddle harrumphed. “Hmph. You won’t be able to use any magic unless I remove it. You are but a regular cat under that collar now.”

“What!? I’m not a pet!”

Riddle then turned towards me. “This cat is yours, is it not?”

Hearing Riddle, the Headmaster then approached me with a frown.

“Yes, you must do something about this! It is your Familiar, is it not!?”

I feel a grating irritation at the man’s accusation right now.

Good grief, I really dislike teachers who barely listen to what the students have to say and believe that they are the ones in the right.

Even if said teacher is the headmaster of this college.

“…If that gremlin from hell is mine,” I drawled, I was getting annoyed at the headmaster’s assumption. “That gremlin wouldn’t have attempted to wake me up, trying to make me strip and go out naked, and then burned me alive for refusing.”

“Train him properly-“The headmaster paused. My words registered into his mind as he questioned. “He’s not yours?”

I couldn’t help roll my eyes as I spoke my following words. “I have never seen that gremlin from hell in all my sixteen years of life.”

“O-Oh, I see…”

I exhaled a sigh as the older man fumbled for a moment.

…Wait, sixteen?

Since when was I sixteen?

I remember that I was twenty three years old back when-

Ah.

Didn’t I guess that I possibly reincarnated into my current body?

That could explain why I called myself “Yuu”.

Ugh, there are only guesses and probabilities to my situation at this point.

My head is going to hurt.

The masked crow man then cleared his throat. “Now then, you are lucky that we did not decide to turn you into stew… for I am benevolent.”

…That doesn’t sound benevolent to me.

With a snap of his fingers, the Headmaster summoned robed apparitions near him.

“Take this monster out of the academy, please.”

The apparition obliged and took the cat from hell incarnate away from Riddle’s hands.

“Fgyah! Let me go!” Said cat monster struggled against his captors but to no avail, as he is brought further away from the vicinity.

“I will… I will…”

He then declared.

**_“I will become the greatest magician in the world!”_ **

The doors then closed.

…Really? He demanded me to strip just so he can be one of the students here?

...What he planned to do of me is still completely inappropriate. Monster logic be damned.

And that doesn’t even excuse the fact that he resorts to arson when things don’t go according to his plan like a kid throwing a tantrum because they couldn’t get what they wanted from their parents.

That gremlin gets no sympathy from me. No matter his reasons, it’s no excuse for the damage he did.

Nope.

That motivation of his will not stop me from calling it “Gremlin cat from hell” for as long as it lives.

“Excuse me.”

I turned my head to a see the student that was chasing after the gremlin from hell with Riddle approaching me.

I can make out a glimpse of silver hair and glasses underneath that hood.

…Speaking of which, Night Raven College is an all-boy’s school isn’t it?

I didn’t follow everything from Pre-release but from the cast shown, it only made sense that Night Raven College is an all-boy’s school.

Which… well…

Anyway;

“…Can you repeat what you just said?”

What I said? What I said to the headmaster, maybe?

“…That gremlin from hell isn’t mine?”

He shook his head. “No, after that;”

Oh, huh.

“…He woke me up, trying to make me strip and go out of the room naked, and attempted to burn me alive for refusing.”

I received blank stares aimed at my direction in response.

I clarified. “That thing tried to steal the only clothes I had on my back and you’d think I’d comply? It’s common sense.”

Understanding had dawned onto the onlookers and I hear the whispers from the crowd who heard us.

“So not only did that cat try to attempt stealing some clothes, it also attempted murder?”

“Well, that cat _did_ set the whole room on fire earlier…”

“That phrase sounded wrong in so many levels out of context.”

…Oh. Well.

That did sound wrong at another angle...

Get your mind out of the gutter!

I said that and yet I also had a similar conclusion to why this monster demanded me to strip my clothes off.

“At any rate,” the headmaster starts again. “Despite the troubles that plagued us today, this draws the Entrance Ceremony to a close. Dormitory Leaders, please show the new students back into their sorted dormitories.”

The Dorm leaders obliged.

Lilia then spoke up. “Those sorted into Diasomnia can follow me.”

After he informed that, he turned to the headmaster. “What will you do with the young one there?”

Oh, he must mean me.

“Fret not, Vanrouge-kun. I’ll take care of it.”

With that, Lilia nods and left the room.

The audience has completely dispersed and now, there’s only the headmaster and I left in this room.

“Now then; Yuu-san.” The headmaster addressed me. “I am terribly sorry but we must have you leave this school.”

“Because I don’t have magic?” I wonder.

“Yes.” He bluntly answered.

Oh well. It’s a very strange and hectic Isekai trip while it lasted.

“Do not worry. The Mirror of Darkness will send you back to whence you came from.”

That sounds like tempting fate given what I know about several Isekai genre manga and webtoons but I stopped myself from saying that outloud.

Not when the headmaster is hospitable enough to send me back to where I came from.

…Well, where my current self came from, at any rate.

“O Mirror of Darkness, Guide this soul back to where it is once from!”

The mirror didn’t respond.

The lack of response had the man coughing. “One more time, O Mirror of Darkness-“

 **“It is nowhere.”** The mirror answered.

“Eh?”

…Sometimes I hate that I was right about a genre and how things will go because of that.

**“The place that one belong to is nowhere in this world.”**

…Huh.

Well, I already died once and maybe I died again as “Yuu” too, maybe that’s why I can’t return to where I came from.

After all, you can’t return someone who is already dead back in the world they are summoned from. Or at least that’s the law I know from these kind of reincarnation flavor Isekai genre.

That or “Yuu” is in a coma. Who knows?

“- so where do you come from?”

“Huh?” Oh no, I must have been too deep in thought.

“I ask of where you come from.” The headmaster repeated.

“…Going from what I managed to gather so far, the place I was from isn’t in this world.” I spoke up.

“…Come again?”

The headmaster asks me to repeat what I had said. Then again, it’s been a very weird day filled with a lot of chain of events. Can’t fault him if he’s utterly confused;

I instead concluded.

“If you’d like an easier explanation… I’m from another world.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuu: Do I actually want to write a Twisted Wonderland SI when I still got other fics I haven’t finished?  
> Friends: DO IT  
> Shuu: …Well then!  
> That was how I decided to start this SI. I’m aware the game has recently just released around three months but I’ve been itching to write something for Twisted Wonderland along with some of my friends telling me to go write it so here I am.  
> Huge thanks to [Noa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KlonoaDreams/pseuds/KlonoaDreams) who gave me a big drive to finish this. (Also, do check her Twisted Wonderland SI, [Counting Sheep](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25378711/chapters/61537987), Noa is amazing.)  
> Also big thanks to Eri, a good friend of mine who I frequently bounce ideas to.  
> Now about our protagonist... For what it’s worth, the SI barely knows anything about Twisted Wonderland beyond pre-release stuff when the announcement of the game first came out so the existence of Grim and the fact that she has taken the place of the MC is a complete surprise for her. (On another note, she also wasn’t aware that there was even an MC for the game in the first place) She also wasn’t there when Grim got announced so she doesn’t know anything about Grim.  
> So essentially, The SI is going into the story blind. She doesn’t know what to expect beyond what little she knew of the game, which might change things. Since this is the SI’s new reality now;  
> The SI is also dealing with some identity disassociation added onto THAT so this is going to be a ride.  
> As a last note, [here is the appearance I designed for SI! Yuu](https://twitter.com/shuusigure/status/1260872908261355521). While she is technically an OC! MC, I like the default name of the game's MC enough to use it for her.  
> That’s it for now. If you have more questions, feel free to comment or talk to me in Discord! While I’m not guaranteed to be active, I have a [tumblr blog](https://shuuenmei.tumblr.com/) as well if you wish to ask any questions.  
> See you next time!  
> \- shuu


	2. Dream

The moment I utter that out, the headmaster looked at me a flabbergasted expression before he regained his composure.

“Another world, you say? Are you sure you aren’t lying to me?”

I shook my head. “I see no reason to lie about it. I had the feeling that even if I did tell you where I originally came from, it wouldn’t have existed in Twisted Wonderland.”

This is what I get from reading way too much manga, watched way too many Anime, and played way too many games.

Since this is an Isekai fantasy genre story I’m in, I’m going to assume that I can’t go home again anyway beyond the reason I stated earlier that you can’t return a dead person.

Honestly, my memories of my current self are still beyond memories of my pre-reincarnated life, if you could call it.

So I don’t know much about what my current self’s life is like, other than the fact that her personality has merged with mine.

It’s the only inkling I had to why I was thoroughly collected throughout all that earlier.

There’s that panicking earlier when the whole audience were shouting around… but I think I’ll rationalize that for another time. I don’t know why I reacted that way.

I think maybe it’s a good idea that I didn’t go back home at all.

Even if it’s possible for me to return, I think it’s cruel for my reincarnated self’s family to welcome the return of a stranger.

I may have “Yuu”’s personality merged with mine and also the main host of this body of hers… but I still feel myself as someone who took over the body of someone else.

Given time, maybe the memories of “Yuu” will eventually merge fully with me and… well, it’s a weird feeling honestly.

Maybe I’m at the early stages in the process of merging with my reincarnated identity when I got summoned into Twisted Wonderland.

The masked man scrutinized me for a good while after my reply. “Still, I have to ask you of where you come from, even if it is a possibility that you are from another world.”

Huh, alright. That’s a fair point at least.

“Alright.”

The man clasped his hands. “Good, now let’s be on our way to the library. There should be a world map there. You could inform me of your whereabouts en route to the library.”

***

The headmaster looked for the map as soon as we both arrived at the library.

While I’m here, waiting for the headmaster to find the map, I found myself looking at the books suspended in mid-air all around the library.

The sight in front of me only gave me more proof that I’m really Isekai’ed.

My answers to the headmaster gave me an idea to some basic information about my reincarnated self.

My full name is Shiina Yuu, sixteen years old and born in February 11. (Funnily enough, my first life's birthday was also February 11)

I’m born in Japan and live in the Hokkaido prefecture.

I have two little brothers and my parents run a café.

But that’s it.

My memories about my reincarnated life are blank beyond my vague recollections of the basic information I can remember.

Since the headmaster is taking his time, I decided to take the nearest book I can find and read it.

**_“Patrick Johnson and the Grail thief”_ **

Huh, so they have an equivalent of Percy Jackson here.

I’m saying this because it’s a guess, because the title reminds me of how the Percy Jackson books are released.

Maybe this time I’ll actually get reading with the Percy Jackson series instead of only knowing the movie. Even if it’s from an equivalent of it in another world;

…If I can survive here, that is.

I decided to take that book and start reading while I waited for Headmaster to come back.

***

“The Patrick Johnson books are a favorite to read among many a student of Night Raven College.”

I was brought back to reality when I hear the Headmaster next to me.

I put the book down and decided to ask, standing up from my seat as I did so. “Did you find anything?”

He shook his head. “I have looked into the world map of Twisted Wonderland and cross-referenced the History books available in this library… the name of your homeland don’t exist in any form at all.”

He looks at me head to toe and asked. “Do you not have anything else with you such as a phone or an identity card?”

I shook my head in response.

I checked the pockets of my pants earlier while waiting to see if I have anything else with me and the result is a “Nope”.

So I’m officially empty-handed.

And an interesting fact is that the book I read has two versions in English and Japanese. So Twisted Wonderland follows two language systems... which benefit me a lot if I have to adapt here. At least I know how to speak those two languages.

Anyway!

“So you were telling the truth of the possibility that you are actually from another world.” He stated.

I nodded. “It’s the only guess I could think of to my situation.”

The headmaster looked at me in the eye. “…Frankly speaking, I can’t allow you to stay here because you lack magic to fully participate in many of the classes.”

Well, good thing I know how to speak the language this world used anyways-

“However,” The Headmaster added. “As an educator, I can’t just toss out a lost pennyless teenager who lacks a form of communication on their own person.”

The man mumbled for a good moment before he brightened up. “I have an idea!”

“What idea?” I can’t help but ask.

“There is an unused building in the campus that you can stay in. It used to be a dormitory in the past but with enough maintenance, you should be able to stay there.”

“…So I can stay there for the time being?” I wondered.

The Headmaster smiled. “Why yes! I shall allow you to stay there until I can find a proper way to send you back to your home. For, I am a benevolent and gracious Headmaster!”

Not sure how much I could believe that but I’ll take what I can get.

“Thank you then.” I bowed my head.

Before the Headmaster said anything else, I decided to ask in order to confirm my suspicions about what kind of school Night Raven College is like. “Is this an all-boys school, by any chance?”

“Yes. It has been since its establishment.”

Huh. Good to know.

Time to face the music;

With that in mind, I blurted out. “This might not be the best time given the situation… but I’m not a boy.”

The headmaster paused. “…Come again? Did I hear that right?”

“There’s only you and I here headmaster. You’re not hearing things.”

The man stares at me as if I just said that pigs are flying. “…Are you sure about that?”

“…If I was lying, I wouldn’t even be talking about this.” I concluded.

The headmaster keeps staring at me for a good while and then murmured. I wouldn’t call it actually murmuring when he had been loud about it for me to hear.

“Not only did the ebony carriage bring a student without magic, said student also happened to be a girl… or she could be a student who prefer different pronouns… Oh what to do… In retrospect, the Mirror of Darkness had always referred to the students in a gender neutral manner… while yes we have a variety of students who identify themselves differently… but this is an all-boys school…she’s magicless…”

“If it helps, I prefer pants over skirts.” I spoke up.

I’ll wear skirts once in a while when I feel like it or unless I had to but usually? Never;

I don’t mind wearing them once in a while but I hated the stereotype that girls _have_ to wear a skirt. I’d rather wear shorts underneath if I have to wear them.

I’m not gonna wear skirts if I have to attend in this academy. Nope.

Been there, done that. Never again will I wear a skirt in this life.

That said the subject of gender is also a bit of a doozy issue for me.

I do accept and see myself as a girl biologically but sometimes, I feel like I wasn’t because most of the things I find myself interested in are mostly targeted for boys and some of my mannerisms are more like a boy too at times.

Yet I don’t see myself as a full girl either.

Honestly, I’m still trying to figure my gender identity out even to this day.

Maybe one day I’ll get a clear idea about what I identify myself as.

…Speaking of, I don’t know what my reincarnated self identify as beyond the fact that she is biologically a girl.

…There’s a lot to unpack in such a short time, okay?

The man cleared his throat. “Well then, I must ask since it’s only fair. What do you identify as?”

“Genderqueer;” I answered.

“Pronouns?”

“…I prefer to go with “She” and “Her” pronouns but may I request to keep this quiet until maybe a few months in?”

He stares at me quizzically. “Why?”

I take a breath and answered. “It’s safer for me and to be honest, I’d rather wait until they are all accustomed to my presence than to say it outright.”

There are pros and cons to that but in all honesty? Even if there are other gender identities in the school, being the lone girl in an All-Boys School screams like a disaster waiting to happen.

I’d rather not paint a target at my back so quickly even if I have no intention in hiding my gender.

Plus, while hormonal teenagers are a thing, I'm more worried at the idea of getting picked on because I look like an easier target instead.

The man pondered at my words for a moment before he obliged. “If that’s what you wish then.”

With all that said and done with, the man smiles. “Now come. I shall escort you to your temporary residence!”

And with that, we leave the library.

***

We were only a few steps away from the library when something, or rather, someone, flew straight to us.

It all started because I hear the sound of bats getting closer to where we were.

Actually, why are there even bats at this hour?

I got my answer when-

“Ah, there you are Crowley. And it seems that you’re still here. Young one;” Lilia landed right in front of us and recognized me after he greeted the Headmaster.

Lilia isn’t wearing the cult like attire he was wearing earlier and instead, wore a tiny hat with horns, an oversized jacket above a white blouse, a black tie, and a belt too big on him that there are two buckles of it with black frills underneath it. Under the frills are shorts and purple stockings with black-heeled boots.

Oh there are purple frills with his outfit too.

The spindles at his belt gave me the hint that there is also a Sleeping Beauty inspired dorm in Twisted Wonderland and he said he’s in Diasomnia, which I take to be the name of the Sleeping Beauty inspired dorm.

…I didn’t get to watch the trailers for the Sleeping Beauty inspired dorm.

Sometime after I watched the trailer for Scarabia, I ended up having a fixation over Fire Emblem Three Houses since the game interest me and it’ll be my first actual Fire Emblem game proper because I never got to actually play Awakening or Fates when the games are out in 3DS. When I tried to play Awakening for once, it’s sold out in most of the local game stores that I knew.

…I haven’t finished my Golden Deer feat. Ashen Wolves run either…

…Rest in peace my beautiful Crit monster husband, Yuri. I’ll miss you.

“Vanrouge-kun, I thought you have returned to your dorm?” The Headmasted wondered as Lilia approached the two of us closer.

“I requested Silver to brief the new students. I was searching for Malleus when I noticed you exit the library… have you seen him?”

The Headmaster shook his head in response, causing Lilia to exhale a sigh.

“Well then, I shall look for him somewhere else… but may I ask why the young one there is still here?”

Lilia questioned next, staring at me as he did so.

Hearing that, the Headmaster spoke and explains about my situation at the moment. "To sum it short, the Mirror of Darkness is unable to return this one to their original home for they are from a different world."

That sums it quiet nicely.

Lilia nods at the Headmaster before he turned his eyes towards me.

“…I see. So that’s your predicament right now.” Lilia placed a hand under his chin in wonder as he observed me.

He stepped forward towards my direction and looked at me for a moment before he asked.

“Given that Crowley calls you “They”… what do you identify as?”

“Genderqueer and with “She” and “Her” pronouns;” I answered honestly.

I’m not sure what kind of species Lilia is but given that he called me “Young” and the Headmaster by name… he’s probably something immortal.

From his looks, I can only guess “Vampire”.

I’m honestly glad that I look androgynous enough as my reincarnated self. It helps my survival here.

Lilia nods at me in return and faced the Headmaster. “Where will she be staying?”

The masked Headmaster answers. “Why, I was planning to escort her to Ramshackle Dorm right now.”

Lilia frowns when he heard that answer.

“Are you going to make the young lady stay in that dorm with only the clothes on her back?” Lilia pointedly questioned the Headmaster.

“Why, how rude! I was going to provide her of her daily necessities after I escort her to the Ramshackle dorm!”

“And a lady would need more than just the daily necessities. Beyond hygiene, she is in need of clothing beyond her Ceremony Robes and that has yet to include her under garments.”

...Well.

Lilia shook his head. “…You did not think that far yet beyond giving her a home to accommodate for the time being, did you?”

…Aaaaanddd that’s a second strike.

The Headmaster is sweating buckets at this rate.

Lilia sighs. “Well, no matter.”

His hand then fell on my shoulder. “I shall accompany her to Young Sam’s store so she can get her own clothing.”

The headmaster blinked. “Are you sure, Vanrouge-kun? I thought you were looking for Draconia-kun?”

“The search for Malleus can wait. The night is still young at any rate. This detour shan’t take too long.” Lilia cooly replied.

The headmaster took a moment to ponder at Lilia’s reply.

Lilia smiles and added. “You could as well clean up that dorm off from the dust layering the rooms as she would be staying in that dorm for an indefinite time at any rate.”

…Just how long has Ramshackle dorm been abandoned actually?

…Either way, at least I had some privacy there.

That seems to snap him out from whatever he is thinking. “Oh? Ah, yes. Of course, the clean up;”

…How absentminded is the Headmaster???

The Headmaster smiles at Lilia. “Well then, I shall leave her under your care Vanrouge-kun! I shall clean up the dorm as much as I can as I wait for your arrival!”

With that, the Headmaster is off on his own way.

“…I’m not sure if I can trust his promise on that.” I spoke up after keeping quiet for a good while.

“Crowley is certainly… a character, so to speak.” Lilia chuckled.

Lilia’s hands moved from my shoulder and he turned back to me as he showed his hand as if he is about to guide me. “Now come, young lady. I shall guide you to Young Sam’s shop.”

I nodded and followed after Lilia.

***

The shop was a small cottage nearby an old withered tree.

The lights of the interior are on as I was about to enter the building with Lilia.

When the door closed, my eyes feast upon the sight in front of me.

What’s inside the shop is an interesting sight really.

Skulls, magic crystals, and somehow, a piano is also in there.

It feels like a mix-and-match… but from the looks of some of the things the shop has here, it’s like a combination of a store and some Fantasy world Fortune teller or Dark Magic shop.

I don’t have the right word for that.

“Welcome to Mister S’s Mystery Shop, Little Demons!”

I hear a voice from behind the store and there was a tall dark-skinned man with a fancy stitched looking top hat decorated with a skull. He wore a purple blazer above a purple shirt…

Well, that’s a lot of purple.

Anyway, he has white gloves and there’s a black apron thing that is tied at his waist along with a glowing hand and a bone standing out at the pocket.

…Honestly, that top hat he is wearing is fancy and looked cool to wear.

…I want to wear that top hat.

The shopkeeper, Sam, as Lilia calls him, noticed who his guests were and smiled. “Hello there, little demon! What is it that you need? More Mandrakes? Or is it a Lizard Tail that you are looking for?”

…For magic potions perhaps?

Lilia smiled at the shopkeeper. “While I would be grateful if you do have them in stock, I’m here to buy clothing and daily necessities for this young one today.”

Sam smiles back. “I see, I see!” With that, Sam walked towards me and questioned. “Now what do you need, little demon?”

I asked the first thing that came to mind. “Do you have some hoodies?”

“We have them in stock, little demon!” Sam answered cheerfully.

…What.

“…Do you also sell tank tops?”

“In stock _now_!” Sam answered again with the same cheer as the first time.

…Uh.

“…Are they cursed?” I blurted out.

There’s just no way you can just have _everything_ in a shop…

That got Lilia chuckling. “Fret not, young one. They are not cursed.” Lilia smiled at me. “Also, Young Sam has everything that you will need in this store so there’s little shortage of variety of what Young Sam sells.”

Lilia patted my shoulder and then turned back to Sam. “Do prepare for whatever she is ordering. I shall pay for her expenditures.”

“Wha-“

“Right away, little demon!” Sam saluted.

I turned to Lilia. “Uh, Lilia-san? You shouldn’t have-“

“It is of no problem for me, young one. I have quiet a lot to spend and you barely have any Madol yourself given your situation.”

Ah… yeah, I’m pennyless.

“If I left you with Crowley, he would have made you wear the same clothes you are currently wearing until they are nothing but worn and teared off until he is reminded.”

…Well, that does say a lot about what kind of guy the Headmaster is.

“…Thank you, Lilia-san.” I bowed my head to him.

Lilia smiled back. “It is of no trouble for a courteous and brave child such as you are young one.”

***

In the end I bought a bunch of casual wear, oversized clothings for cold nights, sleep wear, under garments, hygiene needs like soap, shampoo, tooth brush and tooth paste, pads… yeah.

Sam apparently sells spare uniforms and also Night Raven College dorm inspired hoodies, of all things but I forego the thought of getting the uniform and get the hoodies instead. Lilia recommended the Diasomnia hoodie because it’s his dorm’s colors.

So I managed to get changed from that Ceremony robe attire to a big white shirt, black jeans, and said Diasomnia inspired hoodie under that shirt.

I was also thinking of getting a phone as well while I’m here but I fear of becoming a burden to Lilia so I decided against it.

Lilia decided to escort me to the dorm I’d be staying because it’s late and I can’t exactly carry all the things he bought for me by myself.

He used magic to carry them while we walk towards our destination.

I have to wonder how old Lilia actually is for him to refer to the Headmaster by name and to be this _loaded_ …

But I think it’s a question that I best not ask.

On the way to the Ramshackle dorm, Lilia told me about some of the school’s facilities I can use and also reachable from the dorm.

The Botanical Garden is very close to the dorm and the warden of that garden will provide for fruits when requested.

And how despite how considerably close the dorm is to the school building, the school is actually up above a cliff so the dorm is actually farther away from the school building.

Lilia reminds me of an old grandpa from the way he speaks and while this might be a villain’s school, considering that Twisted Wonderland is a world where every single major character are based on Disney villains… I think I’d like to trust Lilia in this school.

The Headmaster, well, he tries at least. But I feel like I can only trust him from a distance considering how absent-minded he has been the more I stay around here.

After walking through the clearing surrounded by a forest, both Lilia and I caught sight of the dorm I would be staying.

Ramshackle Dorm.

Ahead from the fence is a quaint looking building which I assume to be the Ramshackle Dorm.

With the withered trees around here and the lone building standing up there, I would have thought that this was a haunted mansion out of context.

“Quiet a sight.” I commented, keeping any biting comments I could think up of to myself.

“As abandoned as this dorm has been, it still has a certain charm.” Lilia added as we both walk our way up towards the building.

I opened the door once we reached the entrance and headed inside.

The interiors of the dorm actually looks way modern than what the exterior looked like.

Some of the places look a bit rundown but given that it’s been out of commission as an official dorm for a good time, it’s a given that some locations are going to show the rundown feel.

Lilia and I walked together towards the lounge and there stood the Headmaster and-

Wait, why is that gremlin cat from hell here???

I thought he got kicked out of the academy already!

The Headmaster turned towards our direction after some squabbling with the gremlin who was bound by his magical whip and smiled at us.

“Ah, you have arrived!”

He walked forward towards us.

“Have you bought everything that you needed?” He asked of me, I nodded in response before my eyes landed onto the bounded gremlin cat from hell.

“That monster has returned it seemed.” Lilia pointed towards the struggling cat.

“Oh, yes. I came across this monster trespassing the Ramshackle Dorm grounds as I was cleaning up the rooms that Yuu-san would be staying in along with the facilities that she could use but he shall be handled with.”

“Let me go!” The monster shouted.

Hearing that, Lilia nods. “I shall leave the young lady under your care now. I have to return to my search for Malleus.”

“Do not worry, Vanrouge-kun! She’s in good hands!”

With that, Lilia placed my shopping items down to the floor and was about to turn back to the door when I called. “Lilia-san;”

He turned back towards me. I spoke out. “Thanks again… for all this;”

Lilia smiled at me in return. “You are welcome.”

And so Lilia left.

That leaves me alone with the Headmaster and… this gremlin from hell that wanted me to strip and nearly burned me alive.

The Headmaster faced me and informed. “I have cleaned up as much as I can of this dorm but because it has been left in disrepair for such a long period, some places would need time to be repaired so I only cleaned up the places that aren’t as rundown.”

“Ah, thank you.” I thanked him.

“Don’t ignore me!” The gremlin cat screamed again. Then he turned towards me and exclaimed.

“The great Grim wouldn’t have been bound like this if you actually gave me your ceremony robes to start with!”

…Good grief this gremlin is tasting my patience so badly-

“What makes you want my clothes so much that you want to humiliate me to go naked and even cause my death anyways?” I questioned him; my patience ran thin at having to hear his egoistic attitude.

Crowley blanched at what I just blurt out to the monster. The monster, on the other hand, didn’t register what I was implying and instead answered.

“Why? That’s easy! Cause the Great Grim is destined to be a Great Magician!”

He confessed and attempted to raise his arm, well as much as he can while bounded.

Remembering his current state, his expression contorted in pain but he chose to continue.

“So I waited for the Ebony Carriage to pick up the Great Grim…But…”

He was about to tear up at the thought but he quickly got back up seconds flat. “The Dark Mirror has no eyes for greatness, hmph!”

I can see the headmaster’s vein about to pop right there, like some Anime.

“But the Great Grim isn’t giving up! So I came here on my own…to not enroll the Great Grim would be such a loss for the world after all!”

...Son of a bitch. I was about to sympathize with his situation had it not been for his ego kicking in at the last minute.

That is _it_!

“So what?” I flatly told him.

The gremlin cat from hell’s jaw dropped at my nonchalant reaction after he told me of his reasons for wanting to enter Night Raven College. “So what!? That’s all that you have to say human!?”

“I don’t see a point in saying anything else when what you’re planning to do to me is rude and inappropriate in human standards. And you could have gone about this by, you know, **not burning people**?” I emphasized the last part. The gremlin looked like he is about to argue but I gave him an unimpressed look and finished.

“What you’re doing instead just proves that you don’t understand how to integrate with humans and lower your chances of actually getting into the school. You only give proof to people who would become your peers that you’re a harmful individual who could end their life anytime you wanted.”

Hearing that, the cat monsters ears flattened. “I… I wasn’t trying to kill anybody… I just wanted them to recognize my greatness…”

“And you have many ways to go about it. Acting like an arsonist is **NOT** showing off and make them recognize your greatness.” I bluntly stated.

The Headmaster, who had been silent as the gremlin confessed, frowned. “Even if your desire to enter the school is genuine,” He turned to the cat, grabbing his whip so he is seeing Grim at the man’s own eye level,”you still have harmed the students with your stunt. Therefore, I can’t allow you to stay here in good conscience as an educator and Headmaster of this academy.”

The cat monster shrieked and paled at the man’s words. “NO! YOU CAN’T KICK ME OUT! YOU CAN’T DO THAT!”

“Your actions prove that you are only a danger to the students so you have little say in this.” The masked man cooly said as he turns and about to walk towards the entrance.

Oh boy, it feels like he is getting desperate from the way the gremlin is struggling even harder to get out of his binds.

I had the oddest feeling that he’ll come back again even after the Headmaster kick him out twice.

I never see anyone, or anything like this monster from what I know of Twisted Wonderland, but I had the feeling that he is someone that plays a major role to the story of Twisted Wonderland.

It’s not that I’m letting the story I barely know about run it’s course, but it’s more that I’m Savvy enough with story twists and had the inkling that the storywriter of this tale wants this monster, Grim, to be present no matter what.

There are things that “can be” and things that “may be”. The case of this monster’s presence proves that this gremlin cat from hell is a presence that “can be” than “may be”. Given that he tried to come back even after he got kicked out.

So I called. “Wait, Headmaster.”

The man stopped and turned to me. I decided to vouch for him.

“How about letting him stay with me for the while?”

The man looked at me as if I grew a head while Grim looked at me as if I gave him some hope and implored. “What brought this on?”

I answered. “From how desperate he is, he’s far more likely to think of even more desperate measures just to prove a point that he _can_ be a student here. Like, maybe burn the nearest town?”

I can see the Headmaster paling at the thought. I shrugged. “It’s my guess but desperate people are willing to do anything just to get what they want. This gremlin from hell included.”

The Headmaster looked as if he is starting to consider what I said. “Even so, he is still a dangerous individual for what he has done in the Entrance Ceremony.”

“And that’s why I suggested letting him stay with me because he could have pulled a stunt that would make what happened in the Entrance Ceremony look like child’s play.” I countered.

At that, the Headmaster hummed in thought before he looked at me with a serious expression.

As serious as he could be under that mask anyway;

“Are you sure about this, Yuu-san?”

I nodded. “Yeah, better let him stay around than to make him cause even more havoc. At least he’ll have people watching over his behavior if he stayed around.”

The Headmaster looked thoughtful at my words before he said, “Considering that you are magicless, you can’t be a student here and neither can he.”

“That’s fine.” I obliged.

“What!? I wanna be a student!”

“And you still don’t know how to mingle with humans beyond committing arson when things don’t go your way. And need I remind you that you threatened to **burn** me unless I _strip_?” I pointed out as soon as I hear the cat monster complain. Emphasizing the last word at him with the most disapproving and unimpressed expression that I could muster with my current self.

I may like cats, but this one gremlin will **NEVER** make it into the list of cats I like. Even if I vouched for him to let him stay;

Well, the cat at least had the decency and courtesy to look down in shame when I pointed that fact out.

“…Can you let him go, headmaster?” I requested.

He obliged and let go of the whip’s hold on the monster that soon landed on the ground on all fours.

I kneeled and looked at him. Saying, “Just so we’re clear, I hate individuals with personalites like yours. And I have the final say to whether or not you get to stay here as your supervisor to be. But that doesn’t mean that it can’t change.”

The cat stares back at me. I continued. “If you actually wanted to stay here, then prove that you can actually change while you’re under my watch. So you can prove that you are worthy to be a student of this school.”

I saw Grim’s eyes and ears acting as if he felt hope at what I have done before he returned my gaze with resolute eyes. “I’ll do that!”

I nodded at his answer. “Then it’s settled."

I stood up and turned towards the headmaster. “How about that, Headmaster?”

The Headmaster had a thoughtful look on his face and murmured.

“…I saw a glimpse of what she had done during the Entrance Ceremony that implies that Yuu-san could be a beast tamer in the making but I might need to observe more to be sure…”

Uh, what?

“...I shall permit that. I will inform you of your new task tomorrow morning. It’s late and you need some rest, Yuu-san.”

“…Alright. Thank you.”

***

It rained late in the night after the Headmaster left.

The Headmaster brought food for Grim and I after we settled the deal about getting Grim to stay and then left us to our devices since.

Grim followed me around since he had little to do and I decided to set up some of the things I had for a bath and brought the clothes and other necessities I bought with Lilia’s money to the room where Grim and I would be sleeping in.

It’s a pretty large room for one person, all things considered. In the center of the room, there’s a large mirror above the fireplace and a canvas holder near the bed.

There’s also a green sofa big that looks comfy enough to relax in and the first aid kid and other needs are at a shelf above the bed.

All I can think of after I finally placed all the clothes I got into the room’s closet and prepared some of the necessities I would use such as a bag, was that I’m tired and it’s been a _long_ day, or rather, night, for me.

“Grim, you take the sofa. I’m taking the bed.”

The cat shrieked. “Fnah! That’s unfair! I want the bed too!”

“You can sleep with me once you learned what is appropriate and inappropriate for human standards.” I quipped and ignored him as I hopped onto the bed.

And then I slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> black or white chapter 2, Abridge edition:  
>  _In which Crowley tries to be a “Dad” but Lilia wins the “Best Dad” Award instead_  
>  Jokes aside, here’s chapter 2! The chapter title is named after a Deemo track of the same name.  
> The Abridge edition is inspired and in courtesy of a conversation on Bread and Bitter Discord about Lilia’s appearance in this chapter.  
> Yuu (Rei) identifies as Genderqueer with She/Her pronouns.  
> As you can see here, unlike the canon MC, the Yuu (Rei) takes no shit from Grim’s ego and they’ll be spending a good chunk of time clashing with each other before they could even get along. The only reason she agreed to keep Grim is because Grim would be more likely to be even more dangerous if he is kicked out of the academy out of his desperation.  
> And yes, she is never living down the fact that Grim wants her to strip as her first impression of him.  
> That's it for now. See you next time!  
> \- shuu


	3. Down the rabbit hole

_“Remember, Yuu-chan. You must not tell others about the things that you and I see.”_

_“Why is it, grandma?”_

_“Because, Yuu-chan. People fear the unknown.”_

_“Why would they fear the unknown? Sawa nee-chan who is living in your house and Hanako-san who I often met at the school’s toilet are nice!”_

_“…Yuu-chan, listen carefully to what grandma is about to say, okay?”_

_“…Okay grandma.”_

_“Alright, now Yuu-chan-“_

***

I blearily opened my eyes towards the wooden ceiling above me.

I looked at the alarm clock at the table to see that it was 5:30 A.M.-

_Wait, this isn’t my room-_

Oh.

Oh right.

I got Isekai’ed.

This is my new reality now.

I slowly woke up from my sleep and thought back to the dream I had.

It was of a girl who looked like a younger version of my current reincarnated self with an elderly lady whom she called as “grandma”.

…Or should I refer to it as a memory instead?

It feels more like a memory than a dream.

…If I dreamed of a memory just now, then am I starting to slowly merge with my current identity?

…Reincarnation and identity merging is weird.

I shrugged off that thought as I hopped off the bed.

I looked for Grim who slept at the sofa. Sleep-talking and snoring;

…I’m honestly glad I told him to sleep at the sofa because I don’t think I can tolerate the snoring.

…Maybe I should ask Sam for some bed for cats so Grim can sleep somewhere and not jump onto my bed in the future.

Anyway, since I woke up now, I decided to get the towel and new set of clothes for myself out of the closet and head my way for the bathroom.

Or at least I would have been, if not for the fact that I think I hear some noise as I walked a few steps away from my room and into the hallway.

I thought it was my imagination at first, so I kept walking towards the bathroom.

And then I saw blurry figures of three along the way as I kept walking, complete with creepy gigling.

And that giggling slowly stopped when-

“Our first guest in such a long time…”

Oh.

There are three ghosts who popped up in front of me

How creepy… if it weren’t for the fact that their appearance are more cartoon-like than actual ghosts.

“Oh, hi;” I casually greeted the three ghosts that appeared in front of me.

“Hope you don’t mind me staying here for an indefinite time. It’s a long story but the Headmaster decided to let me stay here for the time being.” I explained my reason.

The three ghosts looked at me, eyes blank at my lack or reaction. The small one among the ghost spoke. “You’re very unfazed for someone who saw three ghosts lassy.”

Lassy?

“How could you tell that I’m a girl?” I implored.

“Your voice might be on the lower end compared to a typical young lady, but it’s still distinguishable from a boy’s voice.”

Ah.

Boys usually had their voices crack around puberty after all.

…Though not a lot of people would care about that detail in this school.

…Hopefully.

“Like I said, it’s a long story. But I’ll indulge in that later once I had a good shower. Also, there’s an arsonist cat monster freeloading in the estate together with me so unless you want your haunting grounds to get burned down, please prank, possess or do what you want to intruders later.”

Hearing my nonchalant reply, the three ghosts stare at me quizzically as I was about to walk down the hall.

A warm shower or a bath in the morning sounds nice-

“You’re an odd one lassy.” The slim looking one of the ghost appeared in front of me. I stopped my advances for the door.

“Most people would have been scared witless at a ghost appearing.” The round chubby ghost joined in.

I answered. “I used to live in a place where a majority of the schools are haunted and the ghosts there are far more volatile than you three. So pardon me if I’d rather not unleash the rage of a bunch of dead people with a grudge on my own person by acting panicky.”

Well, Asian ghosts are at least more volatile.

The many times I hear my peers at school talking about their ghosts encounters secondhand in my first life…

I don’t know about much about Japanese ghosts but ghosts in Southeast Asia are _terrifying_. And in some countries like Indonesia, where spiritual belief is at an all high, Djinns are an **_actual_** thing.

Enough about scary ghosts for now;

“By the way, what are your names? I can’t keep calling you as Ghost A or Ghost B in my head forever.” I decided to ask politely.

The three ghosts looked at each other before smiling. The smallest of the trio started. “The name’s Louie!”

“I’m Sanders! Or Sans, for short!” The tall and slim one smiled at me.

“And I’m James!” The round looking ghost introduced last.

I introduced back, saluting at them. “The name’s Shiina Yuu. Or Yuu Shiina, if you go by given names first before the surname; pleased to make your acquaintance;”

“Oh, we’re aware.” Louie told me.

“The Headmaster told us about you while he’s cleaning up and fixing some of the facilities last night.” Sanders continued.

“But since we never had a guest in such a long while, we thought we could prank you a bit!” James finished.

“Unfortunately for us, you are too calm at the sight of us ghosts so that puts the pranks in a backburner.” Louie looked downcast as he looked at me.

An idea popped up in my head.

“…How about you prank at Grim there to wake him up?” I turned and pointed the direction where my room was at.

“I’ll be heading to the bathroom for a shower before breakfast, oh but remember that he has a habit of resorting to arson so make sure that neither you three nor Grim burn anything.”

The three ghosts grinned mischievously at me in return after I gave the suggestion. “Will do, lassy!”

So I walked down the hallway to avoid the incoming chaos.

***

I exited the bathroom feeling refreshed and promptly ignored the loud racket of Grim possibly fighting off the ghosts.

It’s unconventional but it’s a way to wake him up.

And I don’t have to deal with ghosts trying to possess me because they haven’t filled their quota of terrorizing people in their own way, so it’s a win for them and for me.

Sorry Grim.

I told the ghosts about your arsonist habit at least so they shouldn’t have scared you badly... hopefully.

Anyway, I wear the comfy outfit coordination that is a shirt, pants and sweater hoodie. Hoodie’s are nice, poofy and warm to wear. Nothing can go wrong with wearing comfy casual clothes.

It’s not like I’m officially a student here anyway so I’m free to wear what I want.

After some laundry work done, I decided to head over to the kitchen.

It’s one of the facilities that were repaired beyond the bathroom, lounge, the bedroom, laundry room and some rooms I forgot about when he briefed to me yesterday.

He was willing to provide me some food supplies from Sam’s store when I mentioned about wanting to make some food myself once in a while.

I’m decent at cooking at least.

Anyway, I entered the kitchen and find myself slowly floating from the ground just a bit.

I was confused to why this occurred before I looked around the room.

Some of the kitchen’s appliances, like the blender and over are also floating and at the center of it all, there’s this silver haired boy wearing a white blouse with suspenders hanging under a black cardigan jacket and black pants.

He was waving his hand around and as if on cue, some of the floated items float their way to his position.

I hope he’s not about to break them all or something.

With that in mind I called out. “Hey, please don’t break the appliances by making them fall from above.”

At that moment, the boy turned to my direction in surprise and the items fell were about to fall but he regained composure quickly and made the items float once more.

I walked, well, float towards him. “Sorry about that. For calling you out of the blue I mean.”

The boy stares at me with wide eyes but now, I had a good look at his face. His left eye was covered with bangs but he has heterochromic eyes. One purple and the other blue hidden under the glasses he wore;

“…You can see me?” He asked, as if it looked like that I grew a head just by talking to him.

“Who else was I talking to?” I raised a brow at him.

He still stared at me for a good moment before he motioned his hand and lower down all the floating objects slowly. My own self included.

Well, at least I can still use the appliances…

“…Who are you?” The boy scrutinized me.

“A new resident who will be freeloading at this dorm for an unforeseeable future;” I replied promptly. Concluding my introduction with, “If you don’t believe me, you can find the headmaster.”

Silence passed for a few moments before he snorted at me.

I didn’t show anything outwards but I feel myself wondering if I said something wrong.

He then said, “Never thought I’d meet someone who could actually see me after all these years.”

…What?

He keeps saying about someone who can “see” him… that implies he’s either some spirit or some ghost.

But then there’s Louie, Sans and James whom I met earlier…

I think I’m going with the latter. He’s probably a different kind of ghost.

“How long have you been here?” I implored.

“Sixty years, give or take.” He answered. “Still, who are you, really? That crow is barely of any help most of the time.” He questioned once more.

Huh. That’s a fair point.

It’s not like the headmaster knew about him either.

“…Would it be easier if I say that I’m some kid from another world with no magic to speak of that somehow got punted into this new world because the Ebony Carriage says so?”

Silence passed between us which was broken when he started laughing out loud.

“Hah, that’s rich!” He wheezed. “A magicless kid from another world who got chosen by the Ebony Carriage… This is starting to turn into an interesting year.”

The heterochromic boy catches his breath as he stepped at my right, I can’t see what his face looks like then but I can tell he’s grinning from the way he spoke, “Well then little stranger, I look forward to your endeavors.”

Then he’s off, like he was never there in the first place.

…Considering how long this dorm has been inactive, I really shouldn’t be surprised that this dorm is haunted.

But that doesn’t really explain why Louie, Sans and James look completely different from that one ghost earlier since he looked more… human.

…I’ll think of that later. It’s not like I’ll be seeing him again anytime soon.

Time to check the kitchen;

***

Beyond the appliances working well enough, there is nothing in the fridge or anything.

At least I knew that I can use the kitchen in the future.

So I went towards the hall and saw Grim in view from my left as he is running away from the three ghosts following after him.

“Hi Grim.” I greeted the cat monster.

He stopped running as he saw me. Is it just me or does he looked like somebody dumped water on him? “Hear me out! These ghosts-“

“So did anything get burned?” I asked the three ghosts.

Louie went forward with a grin. “Don’t worry lassy! We made sure to use water magic on him most of the time. Don’t want fire first thing in the morning, you know?”

Ah.

Poor Grim, no wonder he looked like a soaked cat when he arrived here.

“Alright then; Thanks.” I nodded my head to the three ghosts.

“No problem lassy!” Sans smiled at me.

“Why are you talking to them!?” Grim exclaimed at me.

I turned to Grim, shrugging my shoulders as I said, “They aren’t trying to kill us at least.”

“What;” Grim stared at me with the flattest look ever.

“Compared to what I saw back home, they’re at least tame.” I elaborated, walking away from the kitchen and beckoned to the cat. “Come on, I’m getting you dried up from all that water.”

Grim obliged and followed after me.

***

The headmaster arrived when I properly dried Grim up. The three ghosts decided to do their own business since they now had their fill of pranking Grim.

He brought breakfast.

“Good morning! Did you sleep well?” The man asked.

“Well enough to not be sleep deprived.” I replied before asking, “So what is it that I need to do?”

When he mentions “task”, I got a feeling that he ask me to do something in exchange. I can’t just freeload forever after all.

“Since you have no magic, I was originally thinking of making you both act as the academy’s handyman.”

Ah.

“Basically, we’re janitors.” I concluded.

“Fnah!?” Grim exclaimed.

“That’s quite a rude term but technically, yes.” The headmaster admitted before he elaborated to us. “Grim-kun over there is still not off the hook due to his stunt from the entrance ceremony and despite Yuu-san’s help to extinguish the flames, she is still technically magicless.”

“But why do we gotta be janitors!?” Grim complained. I sent him a frown in response. “You promised yesterday Grim.”

Grim’s ears flattened and he relented.

The headmaster smiled. “Good! Now I shall inform you of your task… after a good meal, of course!”

***

The job was first to sweep the Main Street where seven statues stood.

I was quietly doing my job when Grim started to marvel at the statues.

“I didn’t get to see it clearly yesterday but what’s up with these statues? Especially that snobby looking lady with a wand over there;” Grim pointed towards the statue where the Queen of Hearts stood.

I gave Grim a pointed look. “That’s a rude thing to say.”

“Why!?”

“I may not even be from here but even I can tell that these statues are about important people to the ones living here.”

And part of it is because of the fact that I knew Disney.

Well, before I reincarnated as “Yuu”.

The Queen of Hearts, Scar, Ursula the Sea Witch, Jafar, Queen Grimhilde, Hades and Maleficent;

They’re all the figures of the seven statues that stood here.

...That said, beyond being aware how the movies would end due to knowing the original adaptation of those movies, I never actually watched the movie’s for some of them.

Hercules, for one, was a movie I never watched beyond knowing how it ended via playing Kingdom Hearts and the fact that Hercules apparently took way too many liberties with Greek mythology. I’m not even a big geek for Greek myth but I knew enough at least.

I didn’t get to watch the Sleeping Beauty movie either so just like the case with Hercules; I barely knew anything about Sleeping Beauty beyond my knowledge from Kingdom Hearts.

I’m still aware about the original source the movies are adapted from to know some of the differences and how they ended.

“You look like you know them for someone who isn’t even from here with the way you’re looking at these statues.”

…How do I explain this to Grim without coming across as somebody who is completely nuts in the head?

…Ah, that could work.

“…It’s a vague feeling from me, but I know some of these figures back in my home.” I started.

“So you really know them?” Grim tilted his head in wonder.

“…A little.” I nodded at Grim and clarified. “What I know might be different to what people in here knew so do keep that in mind when I start.”

Grim nodded and urged me to continue.

I took that as my cue to start and gestured my hand towards the statue of the Queen of Hearts.

“This lady here is the Queen of Hearts… or at least I think she _is_ the Queen of Hearts.”

“You think?” Grim furrowed his brows at me.

“…My world’s Queen of Hearts doesn’t look like her.”

Or at least, if I based it on what I could remember from the original Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll;

“Then what is she like then?”

I nearly jumped at the voice of the newcomer.

I didn’t let it show and instead, turn towards them… him.

There stood a boy about my current age with spiky red hair and a heart-shaped mark at his left eye;

He wore a black blazer on top of a white shirt and a red vest. He’s probably one of the official students here.

“You’re…”

He smiles and started introducing himself. “The name’s Ace. Ace Trappola; I’m a freshman here.”

Grim took that cue to start introducing himself. “I’m the Great Grim! This one here is Yuu and-“

“Grim, if you dare finish that sentence by calling me underling, you’re officially non-existent to me;” I lightly kicked his hind leg just to make a point.

Grim grumbled. “Fine… What’s wrong with you being the Great Grim’s underling anyway, you should be honored…”

“Because you’re still on thin ice to me added onto the fact that we only just met yesterday.” I gave him my blunt opinion.

Ignoring Grim gaping at me, I turned back to Ace. “Anyway, you were saying something?”

“You’re saying something about how Queen of Hearts in your world doesn’t look anything like our Queen of Hearts?” He implored.

“What does your Queen of Hearts do?” I questioned back instead.

And honestly, with Twisted Wonderland having a cast inspired from Disney villains, I’m curious to how the original events were perceived in this world.

Ace, to his credit, answered me. At least;

“Oh, our Queen of Hearts here single-handedly ruled Wonderland and applied strict rules that brought order to the mad Wonderland. Well, if you don’t obey her rules otherwise, it’s off with your head!”

…Brought order???

“That’s scary!” Grim exclaimed, seemingly escaping his stupor earlier.

“I thought it’s cool though. Nobody would listen to a queen who is nice all the time, right?” Ace commented.

“I guess a strong leader would have been better if you put it that way.” Grim agreed.

“So what about you though? What do you think? What does your Queen of Hearts do?” Ace questioned me.

…Well.

“…It’s true a strong leader is someone that people would listen to,” I paused, staring back at the statue in front of me. “But what people perceive as a strong leader is pretty objective.”

I turned towards Ace. “That’s all that I have to say without coming across as being completely biased.”

If I start talking more, I might end up going on a tangent.

…Is it just me or does Ace look like he is scrutinizing me from head to toe?

“…If it helps, the Queen of Hearts I knew back home has a similar role as yours.” I added.

Ace still gave me a look as if he’s still trying to gauge me.

…I should watch my words.

“Hey, what about that cool looking lion statue over there?” Grim spoke and changed the subject by pointing before Ace could continue.

And so Ace explained. “He’s the King of the Beast that ruled the Savanah. However, he was not born to take the throne, but was able to become king through thorough effort and elaborate planning.”

…Discounting the fact that he probably murdered his brother and attempted to murder his nephew as well?

“After becoming the king, he allowed the Hyena’s who were previously loathed to live in his kingdom without any discrimination.”

…Huh.

The Hyena’s are barely mentioned in the second Lion King movie but I don’t think I ever knew if they were ousted again or are part of the new Pride Rock.

...Then again, it’s been ages since I last watched Lion King when I was younger.

“Does your home have somebody like him too?” Grim wonders.

“…I don’t think so.” I replied.

Hamlet ended with everybody dead and Ophelia going insane.

Lion King ends with Simba and his friends surviving.

So yeah, nope;

“The lady with Octopus legs there…” I shifted my attention towards Ursula’s statue.

Ace perked up. “She’s the Witch of the Sea who lives in the deep cavern. Her purpose was to help all unfortunate merfolk. For a price, she’ll help you out with your problems ranging from simple desires and love;”

Ace continued. “There is no wish that the Witch of the Sea can’t grant, but the price depends on the weight of the gravity of the request. Since they say she can grant anything, it’s natural that it’s the result.”

Equivalent exchange huh…

“Did you have a Witch of the Sea too back in your home?” Ace questioned me.

“…We do.”

And the Little Mermaid ended up turning to foam than having her happy ending like Ariel did.

Before Ace could ask another question, Grim took the cue to ask. “Hey, what about that man with the big hat there?”

Grim’s curiosity of the other statues won over as he diverts Ace’s attention from me and Ace explains the rest of the statues history to him while I kept my silence following that as Ace didn’t try to ask me about my opinions anymore.

Thank you Grim for not getting Ace to ask more about my opinion;

I don’t want to explain the absolute mess that is Greek mythology if I have to talk about Hades.

Let’s also not talk about how utterly morbid some of the original fairy tales that Disney adapted from can be.

Like the “Sun Moon and Talia” rendition of Sleeping Beauty?

Good grief… It's a blessing that the "Sun Moon and Talia" rendition isn't as well known as the one by Charles Perrault.

That’s not getting to the fact that I have barely a lick of knowledge about the original Aladdin.

Plus, the more I hear about how the villains are seen in this world, the more I’m starting to think that this is some deliberate villain propaganda.

Jafar taking the throne as the Sultan of Agrabah after exposing Aladdin’s lie as Prince Ali?

The Queen in Snow White doing everything in her power to stay as the most beautiful person in the world?

Maleficent being looked up to as the most powerful?

The bit with Maleficent may be true in a sense but all those left out the fact that they’re all making the villains sound heroic is…

Hades here sounds more inline with the actual Greek Hades that he is just chilling in the underworld. But this is Disney Hades, not Greek Hades so how much of that was true is up to debate.

Anyway!

While I kept my silence, Ace broke the mood by saying this to Grim, who was marveling at Maleficent right now:

“...unlike a certain racoon.”

“Fnah!?”

At Grim’s exclamation, Ace started snorting… before that snort evolved to a cackle. “Pfft… Ahahaha! I can’t ignore this anymore!”

After he had his fill of cackling, his expression morphed into a malicious looking grin. “Hey, you’re both the ones that brought some chaos during the entrance ceremony right?”

He pointed at me. “You’re summoned by the Mirror of Darkness even though you can’t use magic,” and then at Grim. “And you’re the monster who trespass the entrance ceremony even though you were never called into the academy.”

He placed a hand at his hip, smiling, “Maaan, it took everything in me to not lose it during the ceremony.”

…Was there even somebody laughing?

He’s probably one of the new students who were safe from the chaos and observed from the sidelines.

“Wha-!? You’re being rude!”

“And now you both were not allowed in the academy as students and regulated as a janitor?”

He snorted. “Haha, how lame;”

I look over at Grim who is slowly growing angrier the more Ace talked.

“Plus, you didn’t even know about the Great Seven at all. How ignorant can you be?” Ace showed of his gloved hand and raised his head up, a prideful gesture.

…That’s what they’re calling them???

The Great Seven???

“Well, the kid is interesting at least that he has his own version of the Great Seven back where he came from but I’d recommend **_you_** to start from Kindergarten.”

…Oh wow.

He just wants to get a reaction from either one of us, did he?

“Man, I thought I’d mess with you two a little when I saw you here but you really blew my expectations away!”

He then walked away, waving his hand at us. “Unlike you two, I got classes to attend so good luck with the clean up there~!”

I had a bad feeling about this-

“This jerk! I’m angry now!”

Oh no-

Grim sent flames to Ace’s way in his rage. Ace only barely managed to avoid it.

“Hey! Watch it! What are you doing!?” Ace exclaimed.

“Heh! It’s what you get for making fun of the Great me! I’m lighting up that fire head of yours!”

...God fucking dammit.

Grim, why???

Why, why did you decide that this is the right time to let your ego speak for yourself and get into a freaking fight???

A crowd is starting to form around us and I had the feeling that they’re excited for a fight when they saw Ace and Grim about to throw down.

At the middle of the street, no less!

Grim, why.

Why do you have to break your promise yesterday just to satisfy your ego???

I let out a sigh at the situation at hand.

I only have a broom at my hand-

No wait.

It’s a broomstick.

…It’s better than nothing.

“That kind of flimsy flame can’t even hit me.” Ace taunted Grim.

“What!? You-“

I stepped forward and slammed the broomstick at Grim before he could fight Ace for real.

“Ow! What was that for!?” Grim groaned, turning to me.

“For attempting another case of arson so soon;” I stated bluntly.

“But he-“

“I know.” I gave Grim a frown and then stepped forward. Ordering, “Grim, stand back and get the other tools we got away, I’m handling this.”

Grim gawked, before exclaiming. “Wha- why would you-“

“Grim, no offenses but you’re likely to burn the statues at your current level with magic if you’re still going to fight him and an angry Headmaster would be the last thing that you need.”

Grim was about to argue more but relented after he listened to my reasons. “Fine.”

Grim obliged and stepped back.

“You sure you only met him just yesterday?” I hear Ace talking to me; I turned his way to see his lips forming a smirk.

“Yes I’m sure that I only just met that gremlin cat from hell yesterday.” I answered him, I hear Grim exclaiming “Fnah!?” in the distance.

Ace snorted at me when he hears my reply.

“Hah! Wouldn’t have guessed with how you both are together right now.” Ace snorted. His eyes still held a malicious glint as he taunted.

“What could you even do to stop me huh? You don't have anything!”

The crowd laughs, clearly cheering on Ace.

I only responded to Ace by having two fingers tap my cheek twice, staring at him dead in the eye. “Try me.”

For a moment, Ace looked utterly flabbergasted at my lack of reaction at his taunts; his smirk was curved to a frown.

“You asked for it then!”

Ace’s pen glowed and a wind strong enough to cut through cloth blowing my way.

I stayed at my spot, waiting for the attack to subside before I made a move.

I didn’t even blink.

I just stare straight ahead.

When the wind subsides, I switched my grip on the broomstick as if I’m holding a blade-

_Why a blade-_

I ran and hit Ace with the broomstick.

“Ow! What the-“

I didn’t give Ace a chance to breathe as I keep hitting Ace with the broom consecutively.

One, two, three, four, five-

“Gah!” Ace ducked and rolled left, avoiding the next hit.

He regained his balance and stood, his hand still holding his pen.

Ace’s pen glowed with magic once more, ready to send another attack.

And then there was a bright light blinding the whole crowd for a moment and at the next moment, there stood a white haired boy with a turban at his head wearing a white cardigan, rolled up pants and shoes that look like they came from Arabian culture.

…I don’t know what they call it okay?

The white haired boy stood in front of me, back facing me as he commanded. “That’s enough.”

Ace paled and stopped whatever it is that he planned to do.

The crowd burst into murmurs.

“Isn’t that…”

“That’s Scarabia’s Dorm leader, Kalim Al-Asim!”

Ah.

So this person is Kalim.

I couldn’t see his face clearly from all the commotion yesterday beyond remembering what he looked like from the pre-release trailers so this is the first time I could see him clearly.

Kalim turned, scrutinizing me with his crimson eyes for a moment before his eyes show a glint of familiarity at my appearance.

“I knew you look familiar!” Kalim smiled. “You’re the kid who took charge and extinguish the flames during the entrance ceremony yesterday, right?”

I nodded at him in response instead. I didn’t think he’d recognize me when we just met yesterday.

Right in front of me, Ace gawked. “That was YOU!?”

More murmurs erupted from the gathering crowd.

“That magicless kid was the one took charge during the entrance ceremony?”

“He didn’t seem impressive to me from how tiny they look.”

“Dude, did you miss the look on his face when wind magic was thrown right at his own face? He didn’t even bat an eye! He even managed to get a hit on the Heartslabyul newbie with that broom he was holding!”

“For real…? What kind of person is this kid…?”

Ignoring the crowd, Kalim still kept a smile up at his face as he talked to me. “Usually, I don’t remember people that well but I remember you being the one kid brave enough to take things to his hands yesterday!”

His hands now fall onto my shoulder. “So, why are you here? Are you going to be one of the new students too? Oh, have you eaten breakfast yet?”

…Too bright.

Too much energy;

And his face is way too close for my comfort.

“…It’s a long story.” I started. “And yes, I’ve eaten breakfast.”

“I see, I see! That’s a good thing!” Kalim’s grip at my shoulders grew tighter. “…You were hurt though.”

“…Was I?” I wondered.

“There are some scratches on your cheek that is dripping out blood and your jacket and pants sleeves got slightly torn from the wind earlier.”

…Huh.

I honestly really don’t feel anything when the wind magic hit me earlier…

Then I felt myself getting dragged away from the area as Kalim’s hands left my shoulder, one hand holding onto my arm.

“Kalim-san-“

“Don’t worry! I’m getting you to the infirmary to get you patched up! Trust me!”

“H- Hey! Wait up!” I hear Grim from the distance calling out for Kalim and me.

Grim is likely following after us and catch up but as I recall Kalim’s words at me, I spoke. “…Lead the way then, Kalim-san.”

I can trust him.

***

Just as Kalim promised, he brought me to the infirmary. Grim caught up in time and joined us.

Kalim had me seated at the infirmary bed as he brought the first aid kit from one of the shelves, Grim sitting next to me.

“We do have healing magic but these kinds of injuries can cause infections if it bled out blood so infirmary it is!” Kalim elaborated as he opened the box of first aid kit and took out the disinfectant and a cotton bud to apply the disinfectant on.

“Alright, stay still now!” Kalim told me and I complied as Kalim treated the injuries on my face.

In a blink of an eye, Kalim informed me. “And done!”

He used his free hand to hold his pen adorned with a dark red gem, the gem glowing and at the next moment, there was a glow surrounding me.

“With that, you’re healed! I also used magic to fix the torn parts of your clothes!”

At Kalim’s words, I looked at my arms and, as he said, the tears at my clothes were fixed like they are good as new.

Including the pants;

Kalim took the cue to sit at the chair in front of me, his body vibrating with anticipation and excitement. “So! Why are you here? I thought you were sent back home after yesterday since you’re magicless and I was about to talk to the Headmaster to let me find you today.”

Oh.

“Well, long story short, I can’t go home because my home doesn’t exist, according to the Mirror of Darkness. The Headmaster let me stay here for the time being. Grim is here despite his actions yesterday because I vouched for him so he wouldn’t do anything dangerous.”

I turned to Grim and frowned. “And of course this gremlin cat from hell decided to break the promise he made to me in order to let him stay here and nearly got us both on the verge of getting kicked out.”

Grim looked at me and started to argue. “But that guy was rude and he made fun of me!”

“I know.” I reminded Grim, still keeping my frown up. “But when you make a promise, you have to keep it. Not break it just after you promised by yourself. A person who can’t keep a promise will be seen as someone who can’t be trusted on their own.”

Hearing my words, Grim shut his mouth, and then harrumphed. “Fine…”

“Oh, he seemed better-behaved compared to what he did yesterday!” Kalim commented.

“Only because he promised me;” I told Kalim, “And despite some ups and downs from this morning, he’s trying and I accept that, at least.”

“I see, I see!” Kalim nodded at my words.

Kalim stayed at his seat, hands crossed and humming in thought before he exclaimed. “Oh!”

Then asked; “By the way, what pronouns are you going by?”

“…If it helps, I’m a genderqueer person going by “She” and “Her” pronouns.” I answered, and then added. “I don’t mind “They” and “Them” pronouns too, just that I mainly prefer “She” and “Her” pronouns.”

Kalim nodded in understanding. “So how do you want to approach this from here on?”

“...I’d like to wait for a bit before I get called with the actual pronouns I go from here on out.”

“Why not just go ahead and say that you’re a girl?” Grim piped in.

I gave Grim a look. “Grim, that is a disaster in the making. Especially this early in the term; also that is terribly rude. You don’t say that to just about anybody.”

Grim crossed his front paws, looking thoughtful before he said. “You humans are weird.”

“I don’t think you need to worry too much about that.” Kalim interjected. He then started explaining.

“Night Raven College might be an All-boys school, but after the entrance ceremony, any gender is free game because everyone’s still exploring things about themselves, that kind of thing, even in Scarabia, there are some dorm-mates I know who identify themselves differently!”

Kalim gave a sheepish smile. “I’ve only learned about this during my first year in this school so I definitely still got a lot to learn but I want everyone to be happy with who they are as a person!”

…Kalim is really a bright person.

“…Thank you, Kalim-san.”

Hearing that, Kalim smiled. “No problem!”

Kalim then told me. “If you need anything, just tell me! I’ll give you my phone number if you need it!”

…Ah.

“Kalim-san? I don’t have a phone.”

Silence passed between the three of us.

Kalim grabbed my wrist and dragged me away.

“Kalim-san, where are we going?” I couldn’t help but ask, worried with what Kalim is planning to do.

“To Mister S’s Mystery Shop! There should be a phone you can buy there!” Kalim explained in a cheerful manner.

“Wait but I-“

“Don’t worry, trust me! I’ll pay for it! I got time before classes start too anyway!”

And thus I was brought away from the infirmary, Grim following after Kalim and I as we head for Sam’s store once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> black or white chapter 3, Abridge edition:  
> Exhibit A:  
>  _Yuu (Rei): (Casually talking to the ghosts of Ramshackle dorm like its Tuesday)  
>  Grim: Did you just have tea with Cthulthu?  
> Yuu (Rei): Hey, they’re friendly and courteous at least._  
> Exhibit B:  
>  _Ace: I’m asking for your opinion.  
>  Yuu (Rei): Well-  
> Ace: Alright, I’m NO LONGER asking._  
> Exhibit C:  
>  _You have now reached Social Link Rank 9 with Kalim Al-Asim! Kalim Al-Asim will now die for you!_  
>  Exhibit C (Alternative):  
>  _Kalim: I’ve only had Yuu for a day and a half. But if anything happened to her, I would kill everybody in this room and then myself._  
>  This took a while to finish but we’re on track with Chapter 3!  
> Abridge Exhibit B was in credit to a conversation with a friend at Discord about the Exposition of the Great Seven with the SI and Ace. The alternate version of Abridge Exhibit C is also in credit to my conversation with my friend as well who mentions that Kalim’s reaction to Yuu (Rei) is like Diaz with Arlo from Brooklyn Nine-Nine.  
> The Ramshackle Ghosts are named because they simply can’t be Ghost A and Ghost B forever. So Louie, Sanders (Nicknamed Sans) and James.  
> And yes, the majority of the student body thought that Yuu (Rei) is a boy due to her appearance. Only Crowley, Lilia, Grim and Kalim, at this point are aware that SI! Yuu is a girl.  
> My personal voice claim for Yuu (Rei) is Kayano Ai, specifically, her voice acting as Platinum from Arknights [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEVcQXTKdMY).  
> That’s it for now; do feel free to leave a comment!  
> See you next time!


	4. crash and burn

The Main Street is thankfully devoid of students by the time Kalim brought Grim and I down from the academy and towards Sam’s store.

Grim ended up jumping up to my shoulder and rest there as Kalim brought us away from the academy.

He got tired from all the running and catching up that he had to do so I let him.

Now that I think about it, Grim is surprisingly big for a cat like monster.

Maybe it’s the fact that my current body does Kendo, my current guess to why I used that broomstick like a makeshift sword on Ace earlier; Grim doesn’t weigh too heavily on my shoulders.

He’s still heavy, but not **_that_** heavy. Either way;

We were walking down the stairs heading towards Sam’s store when Kalim finally let go of my hand.

“There’s the shop!” He pointed towards the building in the distance.

“Lilia-san brought me there yesterday.”

Now that it’s daylight, the shop looks like it’s placed in the middle of nowhere.

Maybe it’s because of the withered tree.

“Oh, you meet Lilia already?” Kalim wondered.

I nodded at him. “He helped getting me some new clothes and other necessities yesterday.”

“I see!” Kalim nods. His smile still plastered on his lips.

“We’re almost there so let’s go!” Kalim beckoned me as he started walking towards the shop.

“Ah! I spy Rakko-chan!”

I hear someone exclaiming a good distance behind Kalim, Grim and I. Kalim was already walking a few steps ahead by that point.

Then at the next moment, Kalim gets hugged from behind.

“Hello Rakko-chan~.”

There is a very tall… man? Teen boy? I don’t know; who bore blue-green locks with a large black strand of hair at one side of his face.

He’s really tall, alright?

“Whoa!” Kalim stumbled for a moment at the sudden weight but smiled at the newcomer.

“Hey there Floyd!” He greeted the tall student.

“Hello again Rakko-chan~” Floyd, greeted back. He let go from Kalim and then wonders. “What are you doing? Skipping class?”

“Oh, not really! I was heading to Mister S’s Shop to get them a phone!” Kalim answers and turned his head towards Grim and I who were watching.

Floyd turned his head to my direction and soon walked over.

…ok, his height scared me a bit but he doesn’t look like he’s trying to throttle me.

Grim though, he shrieked and jumped down from my shoulder in his fear at the menacing looking newcomer who got closer and closer to our direction.

And then I felt a hand on my head.

“Ah ha~! How tiny~” Floyd mused, ruffling my hair.

Please spare my hair-

He let go of my hair for a moment, hand in chin and having a thoughtful look on his face.

“Hmm… tiny… ah, since you’re tiny, I’ll call you Koebi-chan~”

…What.

…Are you putting a jab at the fact that I’m shorter than you???

…I maybe short for an average guy but I’m relatively tall enough for a girl...

Or is it just that everyone else is tiny compared to him???

“Ah!” He exclaimed as he lowered down to my eye level, he stares at my face for a bit before he grinned, speaking.

“You’re the one that the other fishes are talking about!”

“What.” I end up blurting out.

Floyd nods as he mused. “Everybody’s been talking about how you hit the fishy with crab like hair and keep cool over it all~.”

“They’re also the same kid that helped me out yesterday! They maybe magicless but they’re the real deal!” Kalim added.

Floyd then turned to Kalim, and then back at me. “So you’re the one that Azul is looking for!”

…Azul?

“Who?” I voiced out.

I may watch the trailers when Twisted Wonderland is still on Pre-Release but that doesn’t mean that I remember all of them.

Heck, I didn’t even know about Diasomnia!

“Azul got silver hair and glasses~.”

…Oh, he’s the one with Riddle yesterday.

“Azul’s been wondering on who the mysterious new fish that took charge and stop the fire from spreading was all night after getting back from the Entrance Ceremony… he probably didn’t expect the magicless kid that got summoned to be the same person who did it too, aha~”

Well, he was chasing after Grim yesterday so it would make sense that he didn’t know about what I was doing then.

…Then again, I also had the hood of the clothes I was magicked into wearing yesterday up throughout the entire duration of it all (Miraculously, I was sure the hood would have fallen off my head a few times already) so the only person who’d have a good look at my face was Kalim and three of the new students that were with me yesterday.

I know their names, but I’m not sure if they’d recognize me right now.

…why do they even make such a big deal out of this anyway?

“Anyway~ you were going to Umiuma-kun’s place?”

Who?

“Oh you mean Sam? we are!” Kalim affirmed.

Floyd hummed in thought and then grinned.

“Then I’m going to join along with Rakko-chan and Koebi-chan~”

…Wha?

“Sure, the more the merrier!” Kalim agreed.

“Okay~” Floyd cheered.

Next thing I knew, he grabbed my arm on one hand and Kalim’s on the right and drag us away.

“Let’s go~”

I hope he doesn’t pull off my arm from the sockets.

***

We arrived at Sam’s store with much fanfare as Floyd cheerfully announced his arrival, kicking the door open.

“Umiuma-kun we’re here!”

“Welcome to Mister S’s Mystery Shop! But please open the door normally next time.” Sam greeted as the three of us.

“Hey Sam! Do you have a phone? The latest kind?” Kalim asked.

Sam grinned, answering. “In stock, now!”

“Cool! Bring in the one that has the biggest storage!”

Oh god-

“Kalim-san I don’t need that much storage!” I tried to stop him as I stepped forward to Kalim’s position.

“Eh? Why not? More storage space is better right?” Kalim tilted his head, looking at me quizically.

Well, yes but even 128 GB for a phone is enough for me.

I don’t need 256 GB or 500 ish GB just for a phone…

“That’s a bit too much for me.” I answered instead.

I just met Kalim for a day; I don’t need him to go overboard.

What I got instead was Kalim smiling at me with my answer. “It’s fine! It’s my treat anyway as thanks for yesterday!”

…Do you give a whole new phone to a person you just met out of thanks anyway?

Kalim turned to Sam without waiting for my reply. “So anyway, a phone with the biggest phone storage space and the data plan with the biggest quota for one please!”

I’m sorry what-

“Right away little demon!” Sam obliged and went over to the back of the store with Kalim walking ahead to where Sam was.

Meanwhile, I stare at Kalim’s figure, eyes wide and feeling flabbergasted if I have to say so myself.

Those kinds of phones are usually way too pricey, and Kalim buys it like its just food for him.

“Rakko-chan came from a super rich family~” Floyd spoke from behind me and I turn, staring back at him.

Oh, he has heterochromia.

“How rich are we talking about actually that he can afford a phone like that on a daily basis?” I question him. Not to mention, the internet plan…

“Rakko-chan’s really _reaaaalllly_ rich~” He answers and walked to my left, asking. “Say Koebi-chan, how about I pick a phone case for you?”

“…The phone’s not even here yet.” I spoke.

That got a laugh out of Floyd and then he slumped down with a frown.

“I’m bored now.”

…Uh?

“I’m going to find Azul and Jade, see you later Koebi-chan~”

He waved at me before he headed out for the door.

That was the time Kalim came back and wonder. “Huh? Did Floyd leave already?”

“He says he’s going to look for someone named Azul and Jade.” I told him.

Kalim placed a hand on his chin; the other hand supporting what I assume is his dominant hand before he grinned. “Oh well! He’s sort of like that sometimes but don’t worry! He’ll be back in a good mood in no time!”

…Well then.

“Oh yeah! Come with me! Sam is also selling a phone case to go with the phone!” Kalim beckoned and I follow after him.

Floyd probably has better things to do anyway.

So I stopped in front of the counter and saw a small box that packs the phone with a strawberry logo.

…This is an Iphone in all but name alright.

…Why is it gold???

Wait, does it have the earphone jacks? (Apple removing them from Iphone 7 models and onwards is a blasphemy in the making. It’s half the reason why I migrated from Iphone to Samsung.)

I checked the box and… thank you for having earphone jacks!

“By the way, what kind of phone case do you like?” Kalim wonders, eyes bright and shining as he spoke beside me.

...Why do I have the feeling that he’s going to suggest me the expensive cases like that one rich relative in your family?

…Wait, where’s Grim anyway?

I haven’t seen him since I got inside the shop.

“Hey, I think that one with gold accents look nice!”

…But first, I have to pick a phone case.

***

After nearly avoiding the disaster that is Kalim trying to suggest an overly blingy and glam looking phone case because he thinks gold looks nice, we both went our separate ways, Kalim heads for class while I head over to the library.

But before I walked over there, I stopped myself near the stairs.

As it turns out, Grim is outside the store, hiding just around that corner.

I thought Grim would have followed along at first when Kalim and I were dragged by Floyd to Sam’s store but… I guess not.

He’s hiding around the corner.

“…So why are you out here?” I tilted my head to the side, kneeling to see Grim’s eye level.

“...You’re alive?”

…What.

“…What do you think?”

Grim looked at the side. “I- it’s not like the great Grim is scared of that super tall guy!”

…Huh.

Given how tall Floyd was… yeah, I couldn’t blame him.

“Sure.” I nodded and stood. “Let’s head over to the library, I need to look up more on the history of this world… and continue reading where I left off with Patrick Johnson and The Grail Thief after that.”

Grim slowly got out of his hiding place and follow after me towards the library.

Grim decided to climb up to my shoulders again as we walk. I placed my newly received phone on my slingbag.

“Oh yeah, speaking of history. How much influence does the Great Seven back in your home have?”

I adjusted the sling bag as we walk along the road when Grim asked his question.

“…Unlike those in this world, the ones I’m familiar with didn’t have much influence to the general population.” I started, looking at Grim in the eye.

“While it’s true that they are remembered by those back where I am from, they don’t influence the history of the world as a whole beyond enriching the lives of those who do know them and inspire them.”

Climbing up the stairs, I concluded. “In other words, they’re all fictional people to everyone back home.”

“All of them?” Grim wondered.

“The King of The Underworld actually exists as part of my world’s history but he’s only a myth to those in my time since his story happens such a long time ago.” I replied. Adding, “Also, I only recognize them because they look vaguely familiar with the ones I know. If you ask anyone from here and compare their versions with mine, the differences will clash.”

At least in terms of the original stories they are based on.

Grim nods. “Oh yeah, what do you mean by world though? You didn’t talk about where you come from yesterday.”

“I’ll get there once we’re inside the library.”

***

Lunch time arrived. Grim and I headed over to the cafeteria for food but we both waited until half an hour in because I figured that by then, the crowd would be dwindling away and that means less attention on both of us.

While we’re at the library, Grim and I read the history and we made some comparisons as he asks about what I know and speak about my current situation with him.

And then he joined me reading “Patrick Johnson and The Grail Thief” (I had to read all over from the beginning because Grim didn’t know it’s a thing so we read it together.)

Anyway, both Grim and I safely arrive at the cafeteria.

I’m glad everyone else here are too busy eating to notice us.

I mean, I’m wearing what is considered Free-form wearing instead of a uniform so I might catch the eye of some students…

Plus with Grim making a ruckus at the entrance ceremony yesterday…

“Why, hello there!” A ghost attendant greeted us as we both arrive at the display for the food available.

I look up at how familiar the attendant looked and called out. “Sans?”

Sans grinned. “You got it!”

“You work here?” I asked. Ghosts got jobs here?

“Well, we help out here sometimes if we don’t haunt Ramshackle.” Sans elaborated to me and Grim. Grim is currently having his mouth watering at the sight of the food beside me.

That explains why the trio ghosts are allowed to haunt the old dorm for as long as they did.

Sans handed us a tray that already has food in it. “Here is yours! I picked them specifically for the two of you!”

I nodded and took it; Grim got three opened cans of Tuna in addition to some sandwiches while I got a cup of a drink I didn’t recognize at the moment along with a Risotto and additional servings of a pudding and Kiwi fruits.

We took a seat at a not so populated area and sat there after saying our goodbyes to Sans, Grim was ready to chow down at his tuna while I took out the Patrick Johnson book from my bag.

“Are you not eating?” Grim looked from his plate quizzically as I took a sip of my drink and place the book next to me.

Oh, it’s Iced Lemon Tea. And not the instant stuff thankfully.

“I want to finish reading the book since we left off at a fun part where Patrick and his friends used the remnants of a Gorgon’s snake to immobilize an enemy.”

Besides, I might as well skip dinner for the day. A Risotto is creamy as heck.

“Hey, you’re the one from yesterday!” I look up hearing someone calling for me and saw a bespectacled plum haired boy grinning, accompanied by a raven haired boy whose hair is on a ponytail and a listless looking teal haired student.

…Oh.

“…Mel, right?” I looked at the plum haired boy.

He smiled brightly. “Yep! I didn’t think you’d remember me!”

To be honest, I just met them yesterday but I had the habit of remembering faces better than I remember names.

Same goes for roads and landmarks.

Plus I still recognize their voices.

“Isn’t that the raccoon from yesterday?” Kasper stepped forward next to Mel, eyes looking over at Grim who was eating his food and wasn’t listening.

“…It’s a long story but first, take a seat.” I gestured my hands to empty seats near me.

Grim looked up this time to see the three newcomers. His mouth had traces of tuna staining it.

“Who are you people?”

“Don’t worry Grim, they’re not here for trouble.” I assured Grim and nodded at the newcomers.

Unlike Ace earlier, I don’t think these guys are trouble anyway.

They took the cue to sit down and place their trays. Grim took the cue to continue eating.

“So what got you staying here?” Kasper wondered; hand on chin and the other holding a drink.

“Basically, the Mirror of Darkness claims that the place where I came from doesn’t exist so I’m staying here for the time being.” I summarized.

I was about to say “Until I can get back” but thinking back, it’s not like I got anything worth returning to besides grandma anyway.

…Wait, did I just think that?

This is the umpteenth time I end up talking of how reincarnation is weird.

“…And the raccoon?” Lyle spoke up this time, bringing me back to reality and out of my thoughts.

“He sneaked in again and I requested the Headmaster to keep him around because he’d cause even worse trouble otherwise if we kick him out again.”

Lyle stared at me for a moment and nodded. “Makes sense;”

“Oh yeah, we haven’t really properly introduced ourselves after the mess yesterday have we?” Mel showed off a toothy grin as he introduced himself.

“I’m Mel Ansell! I’m in 1-E and sorted into Ignihyde! Oh, I’m from the Land of Pyroxene!”

Oh, the place where flashy people are from.

At least according to the history books I read in the library earlier with Grim. Some books describe people form the Land of Pyroxene as flashy. At any rate.

Lyle waved his hand at me lethargically. “Lyle Martin here; I’m in 1-E like Mel there and I’m sorted in Octavinelle. I came from Coral Sea and if you want to know, I’m a Dolphin merfolk.”

Oh so that’s what they’re calling it.

Merfolk felt more fitting considering the existence of gender identity and the like, anyhow.

The duo turn to Kasper who is sipping on his drink as we talk.

He put down the drink and started introducing himself. “The name’s Kasper Latifi, one of the many sons of the Latifi merchant family in the Land of Hot Sands! I’m in 1-C and sorted into Scarabia! You better remember it!”

Man Kasper sounds like the super proud tsundere’s like A3’s Tenma or something.

He’s also making a show out of himself with that introduction.

I introduce myself instead of commenting. “I’m Yuu. Shiina is my surname and I’m a sixteen year old magicless kid currently displaced somewhere far far away. And this cat monster here eating tuna is Grim. Nice to meet you;”

The three students nodded at me and Mel’s attention went towards the book at my left.

“Is that "Patrick Johnson and the Grail Thief"?”

I nodded at him and he took the book, observing the cover. Then marvelled at it;

“It is! I didn’t know NRC has them and boy do I love the series! Oh, have you reached the part where they found out who the thief is-“

“I just started reading.” I interjected.

I mean, I am vaguely familiar with the twist since I watched the first Percy Jackson movie and the book is similar enough beyond the stolen Lightning Bolt being replaced with a Holy Grail but there are some differences between them that make it intriguing.

Mel, for some reason, gave me a suspicously scary smile. “Oh you’re in for a ride when you read the rest of the series!”

“Are the books _that_ great?” Kasper drawled.

Mel turned to the raven haired boy and look at him like he grew a head, then gasping dramatically. “You never read the Patrick Johnson books?”

“Didn’t think about it;”

Mel’s glasses had a scary glint to it as he held Kasper, who was sitting next to Mel himself, by the shoulder.

“Dude, you should actually read them. The Patrick Johnson books are one of the best and-“

And… Mel talked so fast that I started tuning him out in favor of eating my food.

Grim was about to steal some bites out of my Risotto and I’d rather not see him finish it all up when I haven’t eaten yet.

I think I was halfway done with eating my Risotto that Mel called. “Oh yeah, mind if I call you Yuuyuu?”

I shrugged. “Sure. Call me what you like.”

Mel smiled bright. “Yuuyuu it is!”

***

The three students eventually left for class after we finished our lunches. (I gave the remainders of my Risotto for Grim in favor of the pudding and fruits. Sweets for the win.)

Grim and I got back to working on cleaning some areas of the academy.

Before I know it, the final bell rang at 4 PM and school for the day is over.

While I was working, I got acquainted with some of the talking paintings around the school.

Rosalia seems pretty awesome and I think she might have looked at me weirdly for talking to a painting like its normal but hey, it could be worse.

After the initial shock, she was pretty chatty and offers some of the gossips about NRC school life but I had to excuse myself before I got dragged into another talk because I had a job to do and she let me go to my merry way with Grim.

The last place I need to clean up for the day was the Cafeteria and it’s to mop the floor.

The other ghosts employed said that they can do the rest in cleaning up the gigantic Cafeteria so Grim and I did just that.

While we sit on one of the tables, taking a rest after we finished our work, two figures went past us.

“Get back here and do your chores like a man!”

“No way in hell! I ain’t going back and spending my hours afterschool to paint a bunch of roses!”

Wait a minute-

I stare at the two students who ran ahead and recognized Ace, the jerk from this morning, taunting at the navy haired boy chasing after him.

…God this is going to end in disaster isn’t it.

I stood up from my seat and observe their squabble all over the Cafeteria.

The janitor ghosts helping us have long gone ahead since the job was done.

“What’s wrong?” Grim called out as he saw me staring at the bickering duo and turn his head towards my line of sight before he gave out a dramatical gag. “Blegh, it’s that jerk from this morning!”

I held a hand out as a sign for Grim to not do anything. “We’ll watch what they are doing first.”

Grim furrowed his brows but obeyed nonetheless.

So far, it’s just the navy haired student chasing after Ace and using some water magic out at him while Ace avoids it easily.

But the more they go at it, the more impatient and ticked off that the student has become at Ace’s provocations.

“Come forth, cauldron!”

Oh no-

I ran forward, rushing ahead and watching the boy summon a big cauldron and then throwing it up in the air towards the Chandelier hanging above the Cafeteria.

I headed towards Ace, who stopped right above the Chandelier.

Ace saw me running and his eyes lit up in recognition. “You’re-“

I didn’t speak anything and pushed him away; he stumbled backwards and then fell on the floor, losing his balance.

Okay good-

“Above you!” I heard Grim shouting from afar and then looked up to see-

A chandelier crashing down in great speed and I have little room to react and consider how to escape.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

And then it floated as it is narrowly about to crash on my head.

Floating higher little by little;

I looked around.

Ace is on the ground, looking up in shock and has yet to escape from his stupor.

Grim is running on his four paws heading over to me while the navy haired boy stood still.

Then I saw something catching my eye.

The silver haired heterochromic eyed ghosts from this morning stood in the distance, hand motioning and glowing.

Oh, so that’s what happened.

“You okay there!?” Grim caught up and held onto my leg.

“…I’m fine Grim.” I reply and then walk away.

Grim followed after me as I head over to Ace and offer my hand to lift him up.

Ace took a look at my hand, then at my face, before he said something inaudible and took my hand, standing up firmly before letting go and we both walk even further away from the floating chandelier.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

And then it crashed down on the floor as soon as Ace, Grim and I are away from the danger zone.

“What is going on here!?”

…Time to face the music.

***

The group of two students, a monster and isekai’ed and reincarnated person that is me is brought to the Headmaster’s office because people are starting to gather around and he decided to handle the matter in private.

The navy haired boy named Deuce Spade explained that he caught Ace trying to escape from the chores in their dorm and chased after him to bring him back.

“…So in order to stop Trappola-kun, you summoned a cauldron and made the chandelier fall… only Yuu-san arrived in time to push Trappola-kun away and you say the chandelier floated just as it was about to hit them?”

Deuce nodded.

The Headmaster hummed in thought. “…Yuu-san and Grim-kun are innocent and uninvolved beyond trying to save Trappola-kun from fatal injuries so you both are excused.”

Grim let out a sigh of relief.

“HOWEVER!” He yelled; brows furrowed at Deuce and Ace and seething. “For breaking the Chandelier, I’d have to have the both of you expelled!”

“Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!?” The duo’s eyes are wide, shocked at the Headmaster’s decision.

“Please, anything but that! I have something I’d like to do in this school!” Deuce pleaded.

“Why am I in this too!?” Ace complained.

“You both only have your own foolishness to blame.” The Headmaster answered.

“Please! I’ll pay for the damages if I have to!”

“That chandelier is no normal chandelier and cannot be repaired by normal means.” The Headmaster then started explaining to us.

“That chandelier is a magical chandelier that uses candles that will burn for all eternity and created by master craftsmen. It has been entrusted into the school for many years… it will cost billions to even repair it.”

“But can’t you use magic to repair it?” Ace suggested, trying to lighten up the punishment he is about to get.

“Magic is not all powerful.” Crowley rebutted. “Furthermore, the core of the chandelier, the magic crystal, is shattered. So there is little hope of repairing it.”

…Ouch.

I can feel the pain hearing that.

Still… that leaves the mystery of what that silver haired ghost is doing in the Cafeteria…

“And this is one of the few times the crow even bothered to act like the Headmaster he is.”

I hear another voice speaking next to me.

My head shifted left and see the ghost boy. “…You surprised me.” I spoke to him. I decided to question him. “So what are you doing in that cafeteria?”

“Call me curious but I decided to tag along from a far when I saw you walking towards the library.”

“…So you’re the one that floated that chandelier?”

He nodded.

“Okay, good to know. Thanks.”

The ghost raised a brow at me but gave me a smile in response.

“…Who are you talking to?” I looked down to see Grim staring at me wide-eyed.

I looked at Ace and Deuce to see that they have a similar reaction as Grim did.

“There’s this guy with silver hair and heterochromic eyes next to me who floated the chandelier when it’s about to hit me earlier.” I told them, gesturing to where the ghost stood.

The three of them still stare at me with wide-eyed expressions. Looking at me as if I'm an alien to them.

“…Yuu-san.” The Headmaster started with a grim tone after a moment of silence. “Neither Trappola-kun, Spade-kun or Grim-kun are able to see what you can see.”

…Ah.

So that’s what the memory I dreamed of early in the morning was about.

I can see dead people.

Or at least dead people who are unseen to the norm like Lando, rather than the ones like Louie, Sans and James.

I was right that there’s something different about ghosts like Louie, Sans and James in contrast to Lando…

“…So you can see the poltergeist, Yuu-san?” The Headmaster questioned once more.

My attention shifted back to said poltergeist that frowned and murmured. “The poltergeist has a name.”

“So what’s your name then?” I asked.

The poltergeist blinked for a moment at my question but gave out his name anyway. “Lando.”

“Lando, okay.”

I can feel Ace, Deuce and Grim gawking at me as I talk with Lando while I hear the Headmaster murmuring. “Not only can she see them, she can speak to them and hear them as well…”

“Who is he anyway?” I implored.

“…Lando-kun here is one of the ghosts haunting the grounds of the Ramshackle dorm but unlike the three resident ghosts, Lando-kun there is a different ghost and lack a form that lets him be seen like the other ghosts. Ghost in general who are of the likes of Lando-kun cannot be seen by humans. Not even normal magicians can see them unless they have an appropriate magic tool. Despite Night Raven College being a ground rich of Mana, some kinds of ghosts are incapable of being visible to the normal eye.”

Oh.

That explains a lot.

“At any rate, I have now confirmed that Lando-kun is responsible for keeping the chandelier floating before it crashed down due to his limitations as a poltergeist. You’re excused as you have tried your best to mitigate the damage.”

Lando snorted. The Headmaster spoke to the two students this time.

“But if you are so desperate to repair the chandelier, there is another way to do so.”

The Headmaster’s words caused Deuce to perk up.

“The magic crystal used is mined from the Dwarf’s mines. If a similar stone can be found then repairing it is possible.”

“Then I’ll go find it!” Deuce jumped at the call.

“…However, the mines have been closed for a good while and there may not be as many of the stones left. Furthermore, I cannot, in good conscience, send you and Trappola-kun together just to rescind your expulsion.”

…Grim is starting to grin wide here.

“Then Yuu and the Great Grim can go with them!” He spoke up.

Grim what the fuck-

I sighed.

This is going to be troublesome.

I looked at the Headmaster. “We’ll go. I don’t like the idea of leaving the two of them to go by their own selves. The more the merrier, or so they say;”

The Headmaster takes a good look at my face.

He then conceded. “Alright then; I shall give Trappola-kun and Spade-kun one night to bring back the magic crystal.”

***

So here I am standing with Ace, Deuce and Grim in front of one of the mirrors in the Mirror Chamber as the Headmaster directed us to go.

“…Is that poltergeist guy also here?”

I looked to my side to see Lando floating along when Grim questioned me.

“Yes, yes he is.” I said to Grim.

I think Ace is mumbling something but I can’t hear it. Deuce though, responded, as he was closer to Ace.

“This isn’t the time for mumbling!”

Deuce starts to chant. “O’ Mirror of Darkness, take us to the path that leads us to the Dwarf Mines!”

Off we go now then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Black or white Chapter 4 Abridged edition:  
> Exhibit A:  
>  _When you are adopted by an extrovert, featuring a Sea Otter and a Moray eel_  
>  Exhibit B:  
>  _Social Link time!_  
>  And here we are in Chapter 4!  
> I just want to say, being on thesis period kinda sucks. But I’m going to do my best with this so I can pass my thesis!  
> Also, meet Kasper, Lyle, and Mel. They’re Twisted Wonderland 1st year OC’s that I created along the process of writing this fic and they’re going to join the ride of Twisted Wonderland. And I have a visual of the trio of OC’s [here](https://twitter.com/shuusigure/status/1301480722666905601).  
> And lastly, Lando, who is another OC I created along the process of writing this fic. And yes, he’s a ghost and he is specifically a Poltergeist. I sketched out his look [here](https://twitter.com/shuusigure/status/1317315629670494208).  
> If you see the new tag, yes, it’s real. It’s also a look to some things that could potentially happen in “black or white”.  
> That’s all for now!  
> Also, my [tumblr inbox](https://shuuenmei.tumblr.com/) is open for questions if you are curious and do feel free to comment.  
> See you next time!


	5. brave little tailor

We stepped down into a grass plain.

I turned back and see the mirror floating on the ground.

“The Mirror usually stays around until you’re done with whatever it is that you need to do.” Lando floated next to me, explaining.

“…Even in a bustling city?” I wondered.

I can hear Lando shrugging as he replied. “Who knows? I never tried and I can’t use the mirror even if I wanted to try right now.”

I turned, eyes furrowed at the heterochromic ghost boy. “And you’re following us because…?”

He smiled dryly. “If you want the honest answer, I was bored.”

Uh?

“You’re the first ever human to ever be able to see me in person and added onto your situation as a dimensionally displaced kid? I’m intrigued.”

He finished. “Besides, haunting and pranking on people gets boring after a while.”

“…Right. Let’s go with that.”

I felt a tap at my left shoulder and turned to see the navy haired boy, Deuce.

Now that I noticed it, he has a Spade tattoo at his right eye.

“Were you… talking to a ghost?”

“Lando,” I corrected him before I answered. “But for your answer, yes; He’s been tagging along since we left the Headmaster’s office.”

Deuce’s eyes widened. “So you really can see ghosts…” I hear him murmur.

“…I don’t think we’ve properly introduced ourselves.” I started. I know his name from the time the Headmaster asked him to tell his name earlier but that’s hardly a proper introduction.

“Oh;” Deuce looked sheepish and introduced himself. “I’m Deuce Spade. You’re…”

“Yuu;” I went with my first name instead. My surname isn’t going to be of much use from this point onward.

“Ah, nice to meet you;” He then bowed his head down at me. “I have to apologize for getting you involved in this because of my reckless actions.”

I shook my head. “It’s fine Deuce. And besides, I think leaving both you and Ace alone by yourselves is a bad idea and I came along at my own volition anyway.”

Besides, Grim probably jumped in because he wants a chance to lighten the Headmaster’s sentence to prove his own self that he can be a student.

With Ace and Grim being at odds because of what happened early in the morning, not to mention, their personalities…

I held back the urge to sigh.

There’s… honestly a lot that I need to unpack after I’m done with the day.

Beyond acknowledging the fact that I’m dead, reincarnated and isekai’ed into Twisted Wonderland yesterday, there’s this feeling in my head that I’m also the protagonist who will be involved in the grand scheme of the story as a whole based on what I had to face today.

Kinda like Gran and Djeeta in Granblue Fantasy.

To be frank, I barely know anything about Twisted Wonderland beyond what I could remember of the Pre-Release trailers.

I don’t know Diasomnia, I don’t know Grim.

I also wasn’t aware of the fact that the game even has a Player Character avatar like Granblue Fantasy did.

What I could remember about Twisted Wonderland’s Pre-Release information is that there is _not_ a single hint that a Player Character avatar even existed.

…I should have followed after the game’s Pre-Release information more.

I would have an idea to what kind of monster Grim was if I do.

…Either way, I’m stuck in the position of the Player Character of this tale whether I like it or not.

I’ll have to manage from here on out.

“What took you both so long? Let’s get going!” Ace called for us in the distance.

I took a look at Deuce and nodded at him.

And we walk onward.

***

The merry group of two students, one monster, one isekai’ed person and poltergeist walked forward and I saw a house a good distance away from our location.

The house… reminds me of the one from Snow White.

With how quiet the forest had been when we headed for the mines, the house is probably abandoned at this point.

“This place used to be much more prosperous in the past due to the magical crystal mining… but I suppose this place is completely abandoned since the mines shut down.”

Grim shivered at the eeriely quite atmosphere surrounding us. “Fnah, I feel like something’s going to come out at any moment…”

“Oh hey there’s a house over there, how about we go check them out-“

“No, let’s head over to the mines right away.” I interjected, stopping Ace’s train of thought.

Before Ace could argue, I reasoned. “With the mines being shut down long ago, chances of anybody still staying in that house are close to zero.”

“Are you sure about that?” Ace scrutinized me after I finished my explanation.

I raised a brow at him. “Does it look like we’ve seen any sign of life at all in this place?”

Really, unless there’s someone who wounded up here and desperate for shelter, I doubt anyone is in that house.

Ace stares at me, I stare back at him straight in the eye.

We went at it for a while before Ace looked away, scratching the back of his head as he exhaled a sigh. “Fine, fine, you win.”

And we walk away from the house and onward to the mines.

***

There’s nothing but pitch black darkness as we reached the mines.

There’s no light coming from there.

“…We have to go in there?” Grim, who had been in front of us all, turned and looked up to us.

Ace snickered, egging on him instead. “What, you scared?”

“O- Of course not!” Grim harrumphed and raised his hand. “Follow after me!”

I sighed as Grim head inside the dark mines with Ace and Deuce following suit.

I stood for a while. Lando hovering next to me;

“Not going after them?” He pondered.

I stepped forward to catch up to the trio after another moment of standing still.

The light grows dim as both Lando and I venture deep into the mines and catch up to the three who moved ahead.

I can barely make out what is around me until I see a faint light from my right, my head shifted to see Lando with his hand emitting out a small light orb.

“…Can ghosts in general even use magic?” I couldn’t help but ask.

There's Louie, Sans and James early in the morning but I'm not sure if that applies with Lando as well.

“Depends on what kind of ghosts you’re talking about.” Lando replied.

“Ones like Louie, Sans and James can use general magic elements. Depending on the ghost’s regrets, they also have their own variation of magic equivalent to an actual curse. Some kinds of ghosts can’t use magic at all.”

I took in the information and nodded. “So you and the three Ramshackle ghosts are…”

He shook his head. “They can’t see me. They know I’m around and I know they’re there, but they can’t see me because I’m a different type of ghost. Our relationship for as long as we could remember is that we haunt around specific places of that old rackety dorm and don't invade each other's spaces.”

Huh.

“Doesn’t it get lonely?” I wondered.

Lando shrugged. “It is how it is sometimes as dead people.”

We venture into the mines in silence.

The mines are… eerie.

I had brief memories of what the mines were like back when I watched Snow White as a kid and compare it to the mines I was venturing into right now.

The mines in my memory of Snow White were bright, and brim with energy as the dwarves sang.

Now these mines were… empty, eerie and lifeless.

A far cry from what I recall of Snow White.

…I’m going to need to read on more history books later so I can compare it to what I can remember of Disney.

In the distance, I see Grim, Ace and Deuce’s figure, standing over and looking back.

“Hey you’re-“

Grim squawked before he could finish his sentence.

Ace and Deuce screamed.

I closed my ears as the screams echoed the walls of the empty mines.

“What was that for?” I furrowed my brows at them.

“Be- behind you!” Grim pointed behind me.

I turn to see that Grim is pointing at Lando who is still using light magic as a makeshift torch for both of us earlier in his left hand.

Lando frowned at Grim, Ace and Deuce’s reaction, unamused. And he lifted his hand, the light changing shape and now in place of the light orb, is a line of letters formed with light magic that says, “Rude.”

I now turned my attention back to the trio. “Lando isn’t amused.”

“Hey, if some random light ball out of nowhere appeared in this dark place, anyone would be scared!” Ace argued.

Well, he _does_ have a point.

Unless you’re somebody who can see dead people or any other kinds of supernatural creatures like I am, that’s probably what it would have looked like to any normal person.

Still…

“I thought you guys know that Lando is tagging along.”

“And not everybody can see dead people like you do.” Ace quipped back.

“…Fair enough.” I conceded.

…Wait.

“I’m honestly surprised you accept the idea of me being able to see dead people that easily.” I blurt out.

Call me curious but I had to wonder why they are so blasé at the fact that ghosts exist beyond being surprised that I can see dead people.

Ace shrugged. “Honestly, when magic exists, anything is possible.” He added. “Magic spots are uncommon but they exist in several places in the many countries out there. So at least everyone’s seen a ghost at one point.”

Oh.

That does explain so much and adds onto why nobody bats an eye at having ghosts around the campus of Night Raven College earlier.

I had to wonder why nobody seem to be reacting at the ghost janitors earlier but I mostly chalk it to them being familiar and knowing that Night Raven College had some ghosts helping the school.

The Headmaster _did_ say that ghosts are usually invisible outside of areas infused with lots of magic.

“And people who _can_ see ghosts without magic are even rarer.” Deuce joined this time.

Huh.

“Actually, where do you even come from in the first place for you to have your own version of the Great Seven?”

Ace why-

I thought you would forget about me saying that earlier in the morning.

That was originally meant for Grim to hear!

“…It’s a long story.”

***

We venture deep into the mines as I talked about how I got here as a dimensionally displaced person and answering what I meant earlier.

“You mean your versions of the Great Seven aren’t even considered real?” Ace implored.

“The lone exception is the King of the Underworld since we have legends about him in our world’s history, but the rest are fictional to mostly everyone else.” I answered. Adding, “I also double-checked your history with mine together with Grim earlier. There’s a huge difference between how things go based on what I remember of them back home.”

“Yeah, you say the King of Hearts help pardon most of the people who were punished by the Queen so some semblance of peace can be kept while letting the queen believe what she wants while that never happened in here.” Grim joined in.

I nodded at Grim.

“So despite sharing similar roles, even if yours are considered fictional, things ended up differently huh…” Deuce commented, looking thoughtful.

“Your… world, doesn’t have magic at all?” The navy hair boy implored.

“…It’s not that my world doesn’t have magic Deuce.”

The Salem Witch trials wouldn’t have a reason to exist otherwise. (I thank FGO for giving me an impromptu historical lesson with their characters for this).

Though, that’s not counting most of the things that happened throughout the history of the world.

“Most people in my world had long lost their belief in magic or even the supernatural. A majority of them believe that magic, and even ghosts, are fictional and simply an old wives tale.” I finished, answering for Deuce.

If you’re not in Asia, yes. But even then, there are some people in Asia who don’t believe in those kinds of things.

“…That’s gotta suck.” Ace remarked. “You’re missing out the fun of actually having magic.”

“It is how it is.” I shrugged.

“Oh yeah! Are there anybody like you back where you come from?” Grim asked this time.

“Not a lot.” I replied. “Exorcists as a job do exist but even then, people who can see ghosts in general are rare.”

“So just about the same as those who can see them in our world;” Ace nodded to himself as I answered. “You know my brother once told me that there are groups who can see them in general-“

Deuce shushed us before we can continue our conversation.

“What is it now?” Ace griped at Deuce’s sudden action.

“Something… Something’s there!” Deuce’s hand reached his magical pen.

Grim shrieked.

And all of us looked above.

Two cartoon looking ghosts wearing a cape over their heads appeared in front of us. Grinning;

“Hee- hee hee! Our first visitors in ten years!”

“Make yourselves at home… for eternity!”

The two ghosts cackled. They almost seem ready to chase after us at our next action and seemed fueled by the group’s fear.

My eyes shifted to Ace beside me.

He is in a defensive stance like Deuce was.

Grim is ready to run for his life from the sound of it.

I feel Lando’s phantom hand at my shoulder. He’s been silent as he listened to us talk earlier.

“Time’s ticking kid.” He reminded me.

I moved forward, staring straight at the two ghosts as I approach them. “Are you both the only ones left in these mines?”

“Why are you even talking to them!? They’re not like the ghosts back in Ramshackle!” I hear Grim exclaiming from behind me.

I paid no mind; however, choosing to focus on the two ghosts in front of me, they gave me a flabbergasted look when they notice how calm I was.

The smaller one of the two ghosts spoke. “There used to be lots of us back in the day ten years ago.”

His companion nodded. He joined the conversation. “Yeah, there was Barry, Kevin, Harrison, Gilbert, Danny, and… who else again?”

The ghost shook his head. “Anyway, there used to be lots of us. We just roam around here and scaring people as much as we like!”

“But every one of our pals had gone off to the other realm and move on one by one… so there are only two of us now. It’s been that way for ten years.” The small ghost had his head hung down, sounding sentimental even at the talk of their old companions.

I nodded at them. “Then what are your names?”

The two ghosts smiled. The small ghost introduced himself. “I’m Rudy! My good ol’ pal here is Ben!”

“You can call me Benny!” The two grinned simultaneously as Ben finished.

“…What the heck did I just see in front of me.” Ace ruined the moment by commenting after a moment of silence.

I can hear you Ace. Rude.

I can hear Grim sighing. “You should have seen he- uh- them when the ghost in Ramshackle appeared earlier.”

“You serious?” I hear Ace directing his question to Grim.

…Anyway!

“Actually, I wanted to ask you both something.” I turn my attention back to the two ghosts.

“Alright, go on.” Rudy urged me.

So I implored. “So we heard a rumor that there’s still some Magic Crystals left in the mines, do you know where it is?”

The grins on their faces curved to a frown.

“…You should leave this mine when you had a chance.” Rudy warned.

“What do you mean?” Deuce wondered.

…No.

“…Is there something… dangerous guarding it?” I voiced out, Rudy and Ben’s expressions when I asked about the Magic Crystal worried me.

All of the sudden, the air around us felt frigid.

“Oh no…” Ben murmured, frightened.

“It’s coming…”

The two ghosts hovered, cowering behind me as they did so.

And that’s when we heard a distorted sounding voice that grows louder by the minute.

**“…On’T… gIvE…”**

“Fnah…” Grim gripped onto my pant leg, shivering and fearing what is to come.

**“sToNE… wOn’T GiVE!!!!!”**

“IT’S HEEEEEEEERE!” Ace, Deuce and Grim screamed as I covered my ears out of the sheer loud volume of their scream.

What’s in front of me is…

A monster wearing a red ancient looking shirt, an ink pot for a head with black ink dripping out endlessly and a hat on top of it, and on the monster’s left hand is a rather large rusted pickaxe, and a lantern on its right.

The monster is also oozing of this dark energy that feels like it’s a whole other bad news.

“I never heard about this monster being around the mines! Let’s run for it!” Grim let go of his grip on my pant leg. From the sound of it, he’s ready to run.

“Wait; didn’t the monster say something about a stone?” Ace pointed out.

“So there are _still_ some magic crystals left!”

Uh. Deuce???

“N-n-n- nope. Nope. I’m a genius but that’s way out of my league!” Grim trembled.

“But we’re going to get expelled if we don’t get it… I’m going!”

DEUCE WHAT THE HELL-

I inhaled a breath as Deuce ran forward, magic pen ready to shoot magic out of it.

Think, think, and think.

We don’t have a concrete plan to deal with this monster since we didn’t know that it’s roaming around the mines.

If I don’t act quickly, we’d all be toast.

Ace and Deuce won’t have much of a reason to listen to me, Grim is too terrified to fight back right now. There’s only Lando and the ghosts left-

Wait.

“Lando, can I ask for your help to make the brightest light possible to blind that monster?”

Lando floated to my side and went forward, his hand raised and giving me a mock salute. “Sure kid.”

I now turn to Rudy and Ben. “When the monster is distracted, can you grab Deuce and guide us out of here?”

The two ghosts stare at me.

“You’re not a slightest bit afraid?” Rudy wondered.

“No time for it when the safety and lives of the group is on the line.”

Really, there’s little room to panic at this point. As worried as I am, I have to get us all out of here first.

The two ghosts gave me one last look before nodding. “Alright then!”

I looked back in front to see Ace now joining the fray to give Deuce a helping hand.

Grim still stay stuck under me.

“Grim, we’re going to run soon, are you ready?”

Grim looked up, hearing my question, and nodded feebly at me, still frightened at the presence of the monster.

I see the monster about to strike the pickaxe down and I shouted. “Lando, **NOW**!”

A bright light filled the room, blinding the monster.

Ace and Deuce covered their eyes at the sudden brightness.

“Now come here you two, we’re guiding you out of this place.” Rudy held onto Ace’s shoulders and drag him away while Ben head over to Deuce.

When Ben is about to grab Deuce’s shoulders, Deuce shook Ben’s spectral hand off. “I can’t leave right now.”

“But sonny, it’s dangerous-“

“I can’t! I can’t afford to get expelled no matter what!”

Oh for fuck’s sake-

I strided forward, this time I grabbed Deuce’s arm and directed, “Ben, lead the way out of here with Rudy, please.”

Ben nodded at me; meanwhile I gripped onto Deuce’s arm tightly and dragged him away from his position bit by bit. “Deuce, I don’t know the whole story but at the moment, we don’t have a concrete plan to deal with this monster. It’s better that we get out of here and think on how to deal with it.”

“But-“

“Please Deuce, nobody wants to get heavily injured for this. I doubt the Headmaster wants to find us dead either. We need to regroup.”

My plea reached him and he conceded. “…Alright.”

“Alright, he should be distracted enough kid, shall we leave now?” I hear Lando above me.

“Yeah, let’s get out of here Lando.”

***

Ben and Rudy guided us all the way out of the mines when the monster is still distracted by Lando’s light magic.

Before I know it, we find ourselves stopping in front of the empty house.

“Is this… far enough…?” Grim panted, out of breath from all the running he did earlier.

Deuce fell to his knees beside Grim.

Ace fell to the ground, sitting and shoulders sagging. “Ugh… the hell is that? I never heard about that thing…”

“But it doesn’t seem like any old ghost…” Deuce murmured.

“It is not a ghost.”

Ace, Deuce and Grim jumped and turn to see Ben speaking behind me.

“Wha- why are you here-“

“Because that thing scares us;” Ben started to explain. “That monster… it used to be human.”

“…Huh?” The trio gaped.

“Well that doesn’t matter anymore. It lost any semblance of humanity at this point to be considered a human right now. There’s no saving it.” Rudy finished.

At my side, Lando nodded at their explanation.

…There seems to be a lot more to that.

Now’s not the time though.

“Ugh let’s give up and go home. I’d rather get expelled than to face that thing.” Ace shook his head as he said that.

Unfortunately, that only sets Deuce off. “Ahh? Don’t screw with me! I’d rather die than face that expulsion!”

“Hah, you talk big for someone with a shoddy level of magic. You go alone then, I’m going home.”

“Ahh that right! Then a spineless dumbass like you should stay there trembling in fear!”

…Uh.

“Huh? You calling me a coward? Who is the coward here then, hm?”

…Good grief.

They’re going to stay like this for a while, aren’t they?

“This is like watching a cat and a mouse fight.” Lando remarked, amused at the situation.

Still, while Grim and I won’t be affected by the eventual expulsion since we’re not students at the moment, but the same can’t be said with Ace and Deuce.

Our choices are far limited right now. Considering that Ace and Deuce are new students, they probably don’t have a very good control to their magic.

Grim can only use fire, Ace can use wind magic from what I can guess based on our encounter in the morning.

Deuce can summon a cauldron and may have other repertoires of magic, even if he isn’t as skilled with that, according to Ace.

Every power and ability has limits.

Same goes with magic.

“Don’t try and order me around so easily like you got any say! And all you’ve been doing is patronizing me ever since I’m here!”

“You’re the one who started it by avoiding our dorms’ chore!”

Screw this.

“Off to expulsion we go then.”

“Eh?”

The two of them stare at me, eyes wide in shock at the words I uttered out.

Deuce, you tried, but none of you are getting anywhere over the past few minutes we’ve been doing this and I’m getting tired about this.

No one’s getting things done.

“Whatever it is that you’re complaining of, in the end, none of you could manage to do anything back there.” I spoke, loud and clear.

“That’s gotta hurt.” Rudy remarked on the side.

“But what do you suggest we do…?”

“…I got a few ideas, but I’m going to need you guys to cooperate.” I started.

“Cooperate? Hah!” Ace let out a mirthless laughter. “The hell is that. How lame;”

“I have to agree.” Deuce interjected. “I have no plans to get along or work together with him.”

“Ah, so you’d rather get expelled on the first day of getting enrolled to the school of your dreams?”

The two boys flinched, all while I smiled sardonically as I utter the thought.

“Uuh… that’s…”

I hear Grim snickering at the two boys who I gave a dressing down to.

“Don’t think that you’re off the hook either Grim.” I stare pointedly at the cat monster that jumped at the moment he was called.

“Clearly, you took the chance at helping Ace and Deuce in hopes that you can prove yourselves to the Headmaster that you can be a student, but all you’ve been doing so far is egging on Ace earlier and you wind up terrified when we faced that monster. That is _not_ the definition of helping.”

“Fnah…”

Grim’s ears flattened.

I shook my head. “Anyway, I got some idea on how to deal with that monster. Care to hear me out?”

Ace exhaled a sigh. “Fine, fine! We just gotta do it, right!?”

Despite so, he grinned at me. “So what’s your idea?”

***

It was simple really.

Grim and I head inside the mines with Rudy and Ben as support. Ace and Deuce stand by outside with Lando.

That sparked some _fun_ discussion.

(“Really?”

“Does it look like we have a choice right now?” I rebuked Ace.)

Anyway, we’re the distraction team.

“You sure this could work?” Grim wondered, nervous.

“It’s a do or die situation at this point.” I told him and we head inside with Rudy and Ben accompanying us.

Rudy and Ben guided us into the mine and once we’re further in, Grim started shouting.

“Hey, you big luggy monster! O- o- o- over here!”

Like a moth to a flame, the monster appeared in front of us, charging right ahead.

“Let’s go Grim.”

Grim nodded at me and all four of us started running as the monster chased after us.

The monster is pretty fast, but its movements are sluggish, almost slow.

Maybe it’s because of the pickaxe it carries or because it has a different goal in mind.

There’s enough interval to predict its attack at any rate.

“On your left!” Rudy informed us and we jumped from the incoming attack.

It’s a cycle at that point until we are out of the mines.

Taking a breath, I look up to see

Alright; the monster should be getting closer to us by now.

“Lando!”

Above the entrance, Lando hovered and he snapped his finger when the monster reached the entrance, blinding the monsters’ sight once more with light magic.

“Now!” Grim obliged and spew out scorching blue flames at the monsters’ direction, Ace soon followed suit with wind magic strengthening Grim’s flames.

While the monster is trapped, I called. “Deuce!”

In a few seconds, a gigantic cauldron fell upon the monster.

Deuce summoned more than one cauldron for good measure as the others continue their onslaught of attacks.

“It’s time now.” Ben called for me.

I nodded.

While the monster is distracted by Ace, Grim, Deuce and Lando’s attacks, I entered the cave once more with Ben and Rudy to find the magic crystal.

With enough distraction on the monsters plate, it wouldn’t bother trying to chase after me.

I ran ahead than walk since we don’t know how long we can distract the monster with Rudy and Ben as our guide.

“There it is!” Rudy pointed towards the colorful rainbow like stone deep in the mines.

The crystal glowed.

I took the crystal in hand and we sprinted out of the mines.

I reached outside in no time with the aid of Rudy and Ben guiding me back to the entrance again, Magic Crystal in hand.

And then there was another flash of bright light, I cover my eyes with my free arm as Lando’s light magic encompassed the area.

“Hey, Yuu, did you get the stone!?” Grim called for me. “This monsters’ struggling like crazy!”

“I did!” I answered him.

“Alright, nice! Let’s get out of here!”

Ace and Deuce both jumped down from their positions and we ran like hell, Lando shooting off one last light magic at the monster before we escape.

***

We stopped in front of the dwarf’s house once more, taking a breath from all the running we did, but even that was cut short when we hear the monster’s distorted screaming.

**“gIvE sTOnE bAcK!!!”**

“It’s still alive!?” Ace exclaimed as the monster got closer. Still out of breath from the sprint.

“But it’s considerably weaker than it was earlier.” Lando pointed out.

“So you think we got a chance to beat it up now Lando?” I wondered, translating some of the things he said to everyone else in the process.

“Probably.”

“…Right.” I turned to Ace, Deuce and Grim. “Let’s do this, it’s probably better that we beat it down once and for all.”

I now went to Rudy and Ben, giving them the Magic Crystal. “Sorry, can you hold this for a while?”

The two ghosts nodded and looked for somewhere to hide.

Meanwhile, Ace groaned. “Argh! Fine!”

He stepped forth with Deuce and Grim, ready to attack.

I observed the monster from the distance.

Its movements are sluggish and almost pained even.

It’s a good thing Rudy and Ben are hiding away with the Magic Crystal right now.

“…Right, seems like fire would be enough to scare it off.”

“Leave it to the great Grim!” Grim now ran forward and spew out fire towards the monster.

Ace followed suit, his pen glowing and summon a wind to strengthen Grim’s flames.

Deuce now moved after them and summons cauldrons at the monster.

I walked over to the side, avoiding being in the monsters’ line of sight as I observe the fight.

Ace, Deuce and Grim are clearly getting exhausted firing magic at the monster but… so is the monster.

The monster had mostly been attacking in blind rage at this point, tired from the onslaught of attacks and desperation to get the Magic Crystal back.

Still, even as tired as it is, it’s still running on magic.

My eyes went towards the large rusted pickaxe the monster is holding.

Perfect.

“Lando, how much can you manage to use magic right now?” I implored.

“Enough to blind the monster temporarily, but doing the same as I did earlier is another story at the moment.” He answered.

“Alright, that’s good enough.”

“On your mark?”

I nodded at the poltergeist boy.

I motioned my hand to him, waited until the monster looked like it’s about to swing the pickaxe down that I called my mark.

“Now!”

Lando shoot out a bright light at the monster’s face and blinded it.

I ran forward.

“Deuce! Summon as many cauldrons’ as you can on it! Throw it to the monsters arms!”

“Alright! Now come forth, cauldron!”

At Deuce’s beck and call, one cauldron appeared and is thrown on the monsters arm.

That was enough for the monster to let go of the large rusted pickaxe.

I grabbed onto the wooden handle with both hands and lifted it.

_Okay this is heavier than it looks… but maybe I can treat it as a long sword instead._

I swing the pickaxe to my left, slashing the monster.

The monster, still blinded by Lando’s light magic and sufficiently damaged from the magic attacks earlier, went down.

I took that moment to swing the pickaxe down, the pickaxe hit on the monsters’ ink pot of a head.

I let go of the pickaxe as the monster let out one last anguished cry before vanishing.

The pickaxe it used and the lantern disappearing along with it.

“We… did it…?” I hear Ace behind me.

Slowly, realization sinks in and Grim cheered. “We did it! We did it!”

There was the sound of claps behind me, a high-five, maybe?

I turned towards them now, I see them grinning and eyes shining at the successful victory.

“Nothing like bonding under a near death experience, huh?”

The trio changed their tune as soon as the words left my mouth.

“It- it’s not what it looks like!”

“Ye- yeah! We won thanks to the great Grim’s genius! Not because we worked together!”

I snorted, and so did Lando, who is floating behind the trio. “Sure, whatever you say.”

“…Anyway, making up excuses is just gonna make us sound lamer, huh.” I see Ace’s shoulders relaxing, all the tension earlier gone.

“Hate to admit it but we won thanks to you.” Ace complimented, his hands moved to the back of his head.

I shook my head. “It’s a simple plan that anyone can do with enough thinking.”

“No, he’s right.” Deuce interjected. “Without your plan, we wouldn’t have been able to get the Magic crystal.”

“…Still.” Ace exhaled a sigh. “You’re the only guy I ever met who is crazy enough to steal a weapon from a monster and beat it to the pulp with it.”

“Yeah!” Grim joined in. “What the hell is running on your mind when you decided to steal the pickaxe?”

“The same reason I decided to use a broomstick on Ace early in the morning.”

Ace sputtered at my blunt response. Behind the three, I spy Lando guffawing.

Well, that’s one advantage as a poltergeist that no one else can see. (Except for maybe those who _can_ )

He can flip the bird at someone and nobody will notice.

…Makes me wish I can get away with that sometimes.

Deuce’s eyes widened. “Wait that person who hit this guy with a broomstick was you?”

I shrugged. “Honestly though, I had to make do with what I can at the time. If there’s something that I can improvise on as a weapon, I’ll take it.”

Deuce nodded. “Oh yeah, where’s the Magic Crystal now-“

“Over here sonny!”

Deuce turned behind him to see Rudy and Ben, who left their hiding place nearby and holding the Magic Crystal out for him.

Deuce stared at the crystal for another moment and took it from the two ghosts, holding onto it with care. “With this, we wouldn’t get expelled… thank goodness…” He murmured.

“Hm? What’s this?” Grim wondered, I turned to him and there lies a black stone on the ground.

Its size is as big as the Magic Crystal.

“It smells good though…” Grim’s mouth watered.

“Grim no-“

“Bon Appetit!” Grim ignored me and took a bite.

Grim, what the fuck; you really ate a rock on the fucking ground???

“Hey, you okay there!?” Deuce exclaimed when he noticed Grim growing quite.

“…s….It’s delicious!” Grim smiled wide and started biting more of the rock like he’s on a sugar high, and then he rambled about the flavor of it after he finished eating the… rock.

A suspicious looking black rock that came out of nowhere;

After we defeated that monster, no less!

Ace gagged at Grim. “Blegh, this sure goes to say that monsters had different tastes…”

I decided to walk towards the two ghosts from the mines instead of paying attention to Grim anymore, since it seems like Grim wouldn’t listen to me about what he could and could not eat right now.

“The monsters’ gone now and the mines are empty save for the two of you… What will you do from now on?” I questioned the two ghosts.

The two ghosts looked at each other before turning back to me.

“You’re from Night Raven College right?”

I nodded at them.

“Eh, we’ll figure it out later. We still got some things to do in the mines.” Ben shrugged.

“Nothing too big, just gonna spend some time there before we decide on what to do.” Rudy elaborated.

…Alright then;

Maybe they like their haunting grounds.

“Well, you know where to find me if you decide to leave the mines.”

The two ghosts smiled at me. “You know it!”

***

After saying our goodbyes to Rudy and Ben, we returned to our gateway back to Night Raven College and left the mines.

When we step into the Mirror Chamber, the Headmaster was there standing in the middle of the room.

His eyes widened as he saw us coming out of the mirror. “Everyone of you really went to the Dwarf Mines to find the Magic Crystal?”

That drew out a flabbergasted “Huh?” from Ace, Deuce and Grim.

“To think you actually went into the mines and returned with a Magic Crystal at hand… I had quietly completed Trappola-kun and Spade-kun’s expulsion documents earlier.”

“Gee, all that adventure for nothing?” Lando drawled.

Meanwhile, Grim got into a hissy fit at the Headmaster. “The nerve of this guy! Just when we almost died from fighting that crazy monster!”

“…Monster, you say?” The Headmaster seems like he’s raising a brow under that mask the moment Grim mentions the word “Monster”.

“Yeah yeah! It’s so gigantic, disgusting and horrifying!” Ace chimed in.

“…Please come with me to the Headmaster’s office so you can report to me in detail.”

***

And so we explained and recount the events that occurred in the Dwarf’s mines earlier in the privacy of the Headmaster’s office.

“…I see…” The crow like man mumbled. “…So all four of you worked together to defeat the mysterious monster…”

“After lots of fighting and egging on each other;” Lando floated around the office and said that while upside down.

The Headmaster took a look at Lando, and then towards the rest of us.

At the next moment, he started… sobbing?

“Uh, Headmaster?” I called out to the man.

“What’s wrong with him isn’t he an adult?” Grim stared shock, unable to believe at the sight in front of him.

“No no, I am simply joyful!” The headmaster wiped his tears and started. “For all my years since I was chosen as the Headmaster, to think I’ll see the day where Night Raven College students hold hand to hand to defeat an enemy!”

“That’s an exaggeration.” I deadpanned as Ace and Deuce started protesting at the headmaster’s choice of words.

“Wha- I did **NOT** hold his hand!” Deuce stepped away from Ace, Ace himself made a gagging noise at the thought. “I don’t want to hold his hand either, gross!””

“Ah, apologies, I’m simply overwhelmed.” The headmaster calmed down and now he stepped towards me.

“I’ve seen what you have done first hand during the entrance ceremony but today’s incident in the Dwarf mines proves it.”

He pointed towards me. “You have the makings of a Beast Tamer!”

“…I’m sorry, what.” I blurted out in the flattest tone possible.

Clearing his throat, the headmaster soon launch into an explanation. “You see, Yuu-san, the students summoned by the Mirror of Darkness are magicians with a budding potential to become even greater than they already were.”

He paused for a moment before continuing. “However, magicians in general are treated as a superior group of people by others, leading to magicians growing to be too egoistic and prideful, and as such, they lack the initiative to cooperate with others due to their pride.”

…He just dissed the whole student body, didn’t he?

Behind us all, I hear Lando snickering. “Too true;”

“Yuu-san,” The headmaster called for me. “You lack the ability to use magic beyond having an ability to see ghosts and potentially, other spirits and fantastical creatures that are invisible to the naked eye.”

He then smiled. “But that is perhaps, what the school truly needs right now! For, because you lack magic, you are able to gain the initiative to get others to cooperate and work together!”

…Wha?

“He’s not saying anything nice, isn’t he?”

Gee, thanks for pointing out the obvious Ace.

“Yes, as an educator and Headmaster of the school, I shall lift Trappola-kun and Spade-kun’s expulsion and enroll you as a student!”

I stare blankly at the man as he declared that.

Just… what is he even planning?

“…You do know that I don’t have the ability to use magic, right?” I brought up. I don’t want to know what the student body would think either.

“Fret not, for that’s where Grim-kun comes in!”

“Me!?” Grim exclaimed.

“Grim-kun,” The Headmaster grimly called for him. “Your actions during the Entrance Ceremony still prove that you can potentially be a danger to the other students.”

Grim looked down at that.

“However!” I see Grim perking up at that.

“You have sufficiently proven yourself today. So I grant you the special permission to enroll in Night Raven College as a 2-in-1 student with Yuu-san!”

“…Is that allowed?” I wondered.

“Why of course! Ignihyde’s Dorm Leader, Idia Shroud-kun also has a 2-in-1 student deal for his enrollment!”

Huh.

I nodded at the Headmaster and then knelt down to Grim’s eye level; Grim’s eyes were glistening bright in glee. “Good for you, Grim.”

I find myself giving a small smile at the cat monster.

Grim then cheered, the realization of his situation truly sink in. “I did it! I’m a student in Night Raven College now! Nya-ha!”

Grim stood by his two feet, vibrating in joy.

“Now I shall bestow upon you this gem as proof that you are now a student of Night Raven College.”

With a flash of the magical pen, a gem embeeded ribbon collar was placed in Grim’s neck.

“This is…”

“It’s a specially customized magic pen for you, Grim-kun.” The Headmaster explained. “You can’t use a pen with your paws, after all.”

Grim, however, didn’t listen in his glee and joy at being accepted at all.

I stood once more turning to the older man. “This is a parole of sorts for him, isn’t it?”

“Why yes.” The Headmaster confirmed. “Even if he did prove himself today, he is still yet to be off the hook for his actions in the Entrance Ceremony. I will be informing the teachers to keep an eye out on Grim-kun after this as part of his parole. As long as he doesn’t cause grievous harm to any of the students outside of matters involving self-defense, Grim-kun is allowed to stay as a student.”

“So I’m still technically supervising him.”

The Headmaster nodded.

“Whoa, it’s only your first day and you get to supervise on Grim like some prefect!”

I winced. “Please just call me Yuu.”

“Sure sure. Whatever you say Mr. Prefect;”

“Well, it does make sense, since there’s only you and Grim at Ramshackle…” Deuce inputted.

“There’s Lando, Louie, Sans and James.” I reminded them.

“…Ah, you, Grim and four ghosts.” Deuce corrected himself.

...

I decided to ask the Headmaster again. “So we’re both still allowed to accommodate in this school?”

He nodded. “Why yes, I shall provide you of food and other necessities you may need through Sam-kun as you do not have anyone as a guardian right now, but you must buy other expenses on your own.”

The Headmaster added. “Part-time jobs are also available for students who do need some money of their own in this school. If you are curious, you can ask Sam-kun. I shall be in charge of creating your identification in this school and in Twisted Wonderland in general.”

I nodded, taking the information in.

“Are there extracurricular clubs too?” I questioned out of curiosity.

“Why of course!” He happily answered me before he reminded. “However, as you and Grim-kun are in a 2-in-1 student deal, neither of you are allowed to take part in clubs that require the use of magic. And because Grim-kun is what he is, only you yourself are allowed to join any of the clubs at all, Yuu-san.”

Grim grumbled when he heard that. “I wanna join clubs too…”

“Makes sense though, he’s a raccoon anyway.”

“Fnah! I’m not a raccoon!” Grim hissed at Ace.

“Nah, he’s a cat. Did you ever take a look at his ears closely?” I denounced Ace as I pointed at Grim.

“I’m not a cat either!”

“Sure, whatever you say.”

“Gngngn….” Grim grumbled more. Looking grumpier by the minute;

I turn my head to Ace and Deuce and pointed at Grim’s grumpy expression. “See? He’s a cat.”

Ace bit his lip, trying to hold in his laughter at Grim’s expression while Deuce pointedly looked away.

Maybe he wants to give Grim some dignity?

“Oh, Yuu-san,” The Headmaster called for me,”before you leave, I shall hand you this magical tool.”

With a wave of his magic pen, an item that looked like a Polaroid camera floated.

“This is the Ghost Camera.” He informed me.

“As the Prefect and technical leader of Ramshackle Dorm, I ask of you to create memories and capture them in this magical tool.”

Well, that, I can do.

“Alright;”

***

“Man, what a day.” Ace sag his shoulders as soon as the five of us left the office.

“Starting a fight early in the day, running away from a chore and nearly getting killed by a fallen chandelier, nearly expelled, then bonding with unlikely people in a near death experience… yep, what a day.” I recounted the things Ace got involved in on the span of time I get to know him today.

Ace gaped at me.

Grim, meanwhile, is humming. “Hm~ Hm~ Hm~ I’m a student of Night Raven College now~”

He turned to Ace and Deuce, declaring. “I’m going to beat you two to dust and take the top spot!”

Ace chuckled. “You talk pretty big for someone who just became a student.” Despite his words, he smiled at the cat. “Well I suppose it’s a good thing.”

“Classes started tomorrow, today’s event for 1st years is only the extracurricular activity orientations so we get a club to join.” Deuce started.

“What does that make for students who don’t pick a club yet?” I tilt my head, wondering in curiosity.

“I hear you’re still allowed to join clubs late if you haven’t made up your mind today. You just need to speak to one of the seniors in that club later so they can give you a form to fill.”

“I see.” I nodded at him.

“I wonder if things would go well from here though…” I murmured mostly to myself.

There are way too many unknowns to consider.

I barely know anything about Twisted Wonderland, the mobile game, as a whole so I don’t know what the future will have in store.

Though I suppose it’s also a good thing that I don’t know anything about Twisted Wonderland at all.

I won’t be blinded with worry for knowing things that will happen in the game proper.

Nor will I be blinded by the idea of seeing any of the people here as fictional characters.

To me, at this point, they’re all simply real people with their own problems and their own lives to attend to.

I recognize them more as actual people than fictional characters.

“You’re the magicless kid who can see dead people and got guts to brave on without showing a single fear and stay calm throughout our adventure in the Dwarf mines.” Deuce smiled in his attempt to calm me of my nerves.

“If you carry that gutsy spirit all the way throughout the school year, nobody would dare to underestimate ya!”

Uh.

“Deuce, I gotta ask, what is up with the sudden informal speech?”

Deuce gasped the moment Ace asked, abashed that he slip up from his polite personality. “Wha, that’s, it’s normal right-“

“Ehh anyway, let’s head back to our dorms. Can’t get late from the beginning now that our expulsion is rescinded.” Ace informed the navy haired boy.

“Oh right, you guys are staying in Ramshackle right? That unused dorm that you told us about?”

I nodded at Deuce’s question.

“Man I want to stay there instead.” Ace sulked. “I’d rather not have to deal with seeing Mr. Serious daily here.”

“That’s my line, slacker ace.” Deuce glared at Ace, but I notice that the glare lack any sort of venom or pure hostility to it.

“Sure sure, almost-cried-at-getting-expelled-Deuce-kun.” He stuck out his tongue at Deuce before walking ahead. “Well, see ya tomorrow Yuu!”

Deuce followed after Ace quietly as they returned to their dorms.

“Those two are going to make quite a combination.” Lando spoke after the duo left the vicinity.

“That they are.” I agreed with Lando.

“Oh yeah, are you gonna keep hiding the fact that you’re a girl, now that you’re a student together with me?” Grim wondered. “They think you’re a guy, ya know.”

“I don’t plan to hide it forever, but I’d like to keep quiet for now.” I shook my head. “I’d rather wait until they get used to my presence. It’d sound weird to most of the students here if they learn one of the newer kids identify differently from the get go.”

And it’s safer to hide it for now.

“So we should call you by “They” pronouns while around others?” Lando decided to ask at the moment.

“Yeah, I don’t mind that Lando, call me with “They” and “Them” pronouns until then.” I answered.

...Something's been bothering me for a little while we returned so I decided to go ahead and ask. "Why didn't you try talking through using magic like what you did back in the mines earlier?"

Lando sagged. "It takes a hell lot of focus for me to do that. Plus, I'm spent with magic reserves after that encounter."

"...When was the last time you used magic at all actually?"

He gave a shrug at me in response. "Eh, been some decades."

...Well.

I looked down after craning my neck to talk to the poltergeist and found Grim scrutinizing me. “...Seeing you talking to thin air despite knowing that poltergeist guy is with us still feels weird.”

He grinned. “But ya know, it’s kinda cool! Maybe when I become a great magician, I can see ghosts like you do!”

“That’ll be a day then.” I smiled.

Grim looked giddy and beckoned. “Well then, let’s head back to Ramshackle and get rested up!”

“Let’s see if Sam’s store is still open, the Headmaster did promise that he’d pay for food ingredients, I can try and cook something for both of us to eat since we didn’t have dinner yet.” I suggested instead.

Honestly, I don’t know where my confidence in cooking comes from in this life, but I’d like to think that I’m a decent cook.

Or maybe it has to do with the fact that my parents as “Yuu” ran a café and they taught me how to cook from a young age.

…At any rate, I don’t have my full memories as “Yuu” but maybe I’d remember them, bit by bit.

But for now, we Ramshackle residents will be heading off to Sam’s store to get some cooking ingredients before we fully rested.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Black or White Chapter 5 abridge edition:  
>  _Ace, Deuce and Grim: Hoe don’t do it_  
>  _Yuu (Rei): (Talks to ghosts like it’s any other day and unflinchingly hits the Dwarf Mines Monster with a rusted pickaxe)_  
>  _Ace, Deuce and Grim: Oh my god-_  
>  And with this, we have officially reached the end of the Prologue and off to Heartslabyul!  
> From here on out I’m going to start referring to “black or white” Yuu as Yuu (Rei) in the notes and the like to differentiate her from canon Yuu when I talk about her and edits will be done for the notes in previous chapters about this.  
> One of the Japanese words used for ghosts is 幽霊 (Romaji: Yuurei), and since she has the ability to see dead people in general along with other supernatural creatures invisible to the normal eye, it fits and it’s part of why I choose this to refer to Yuu from now on. If that’s a mouthful for you, you can call her “Rei” for short.  
> Also, unfortunately for Grim, some of his actions do have real consequences.  
> He’s still not **fully** off the hook for what he did in the Entrance Ceremony.  
> What the game narration says is one thing, but when it’s applied to reality, it’s a different story.  
> Now the bit with ghosts only being visible in magic infused areas is actually canon from the Halloween event, the rest (Such as Magic spots) are some of the liberties I’ve taken for this.  
> Lastly, there is now an official cover for this fic drawn by yours truly! The full picture can be found in my twitter [here](https://twitter.com/shuusigure/status/1325364699588780032) and tumblr [here](https://shuuenmei.tumblr.com/post/635458823658864640/the-cover-drawn-for-black-or-white-now-in).  
> Feel free to comment or ask some questions in my tumblr [here](https://shuuenmei.tumblr.com)!  
> See you next time!  
> \- shuu


	6. Magicatz

_“Hurry we must paint the roses red!”_

_“Because we know they cease to grow. In fact they’ll soon be dead.”_

_“Painting the roses red. We’re painting the roses red!”_

_“Pardon me but Mister Three, why must you paint them red?”_

_“Huh? Why, you see, we planted the roses white by mistake.”_

_“The queen, she loves it red. Or else it’ll be off with our heads!”_

_“Why goodness.”_

_“That’s why we’re painting the roses red.”_

***

I slowly rose up from the dream I saw.

Painting the roses?

That reminds me; the dream looked like I’m seeing the actual scene of Alice in Wonderland from the movie, but in monochrome, for whatever reason I don’t know.

Still, the song the card soldiers were singing is catchy...

Painting the roses red, we’re painting the roses red…

Oh, this isn’t the time to hum to a tune.

I was about to head back to sleep when a loud knock resounded throughout the room.

Grim groaned, awake from the sudden noise from his new cat bed.

Outside of ingredients for the cooking, I asked Sam for a very cheap but comfy cat bed for Grim added to that.

The Headmaster is paying so I don’t really see anything wrong asking that since Lilia already bought me clothes and daily needs.

Well, until I ran out of them at least.

Grim grumbled about not being a cat and how he still wants to sleep in the big bed until I told him that he can have a blanket all for himself if he sleeps in his own bed, and he accept the bed easily at the thought of having a bed all for himself.

Either way, whoever it was that is knocking, they feel like they had an urgent need for us.

Could be the Headmaster who had forgotten something but… I can’t be lax.

I decided to head out of the room after I saw the time from the clock, twenty five minutes past midnight, the pitter patter of Grim’s steps following me.

As we went down the halls, I saw Lando near the foyer. He turned to see the both of us awake and floated to me.

“I checked who our midnight guest was, it’s Ace.”

Ace? What does he want?

…Wait.

“Did you just phase your head through the door just to see who it was?”

Lando made a non-commital noise instead.

…Okay.

I walked towards the door and opened it for Ace.

“What do you need at this hour-“

My eyes caught onto what is now covering his neck.

A heart-shaped chocker that has a lock on it is now attached to his neck, almost like a guillotine.

Grim, who ran after me, exclaimed at the sight. “Geh! Your neck!”

“I’m not gonna head back to Heartslabyul. I’m going to be a Ramshackle dorm student from today on!”

…That can mean many things and I don’t know where to start.

“…Right, please come in. You can tell me why you had that collar on you while we’re at it.”

***

I gave Ace a small water bottle from the fridge to drink since I doubt he’d have some patience for anything like tea. (I’m honestly scared when I first visited his shop but… bless Sam and his shop for having almost everything that I can think of)

Grim took a small carton strawberry milk I bought as his midnight snack while I grabbed a banana milk carton for myself.

While we’re drinking at the lounge, Ace told us how he ended up getting caught with Riddle’s magical collar on his own person.

“…So you snuck up to eat some tart and he placed that on you?” I sum it up.

“Yeah! “

Grim and I looked at each other and then back at Ace.

“Doesn’t it just feel like overkill to seal off my magic just because I ate some tarts!?” Ace started. “Besides, there’s like three whole tarts there! There’s no way he could eat them all by himself!”

Ace harrumphed. “There’s just a limit to how narrow minded you can be.”

…Well.

“You’re both in the wrong.” Grim pointed out as I gave Ace a blank look.

“Geez, what’s with the lukewarm reaction?”

Grim gasped. “Could it be that they’re for some special occasion? Like a party?”

“A party?” Ace furrowed his brows at the cat monster.

“…Well, if it’s for some special occasion that could explain why he is mad at you.”

Before Ace could argue, I raised my hand and spoke over. “While I agree its complete overkill of a punishment to seal your magic over food, you could have just… you know, take other foods available there instead of the tart?”

“Geh.”

“…Unless there _really_ was nothing but the tarts in that fridge, then it’s understandable.” I decided to add. But finished with saying “Still wrong of you to take the tart though;”

“Yeah, you’re also at fault for stealing the tart in the first place. Grudges over food can be scary ya know.” Grim chimed in. He then nodded sagely at himself for saying that.

“You could try apologizing to Riddle-san tomorrow. It’s far too late of a time now anyway.” I suggested.

Ace exhaled a sigh. “Fine fine… I just gotta apologize, right?”

Ace looked over to me, looking almost pouty. “You better come with me alright? Since you suggested this;”

I nodded in agreement.

“…Still, where do I sleep?” Ace wondered.

“Geh, you’re really sleeping here?”

Grim crossed his front paws to look like a crossed arm. “The other bedrooms in this dorm are a mess and yet to be cleaned up by the Headmaster, if you want a room, clean it up yourself.”

Ace stuck his tongue out instead. “Blegh, I ain’t cleaning.”

Ace turned back to me-

_Oh no I know that look -_

“Yuu~ let me sleep in your room kay? I’m real slim so I won’t take that much space on the bed~.”

…

“…We actually have a sleeping bag here, you can sleep with that in our room if you’d like since we have actual air conditioning rather than have you sleep out here.”

It’s among one of the things I got to ask Lilia to buy for me.

Though I intended to use them for emergencies rather than to use them for anything else;

I had many, _many_ worries running my head when Lilia described me of how rundown the then unused dorm was on the way to Sam’s shop the first time that I asked for a camping sleeping bag.

If I am forced to sleep out because the dorm got _so_ rundown that it’s unsafe to stay in, I’m at least prepared to sleep out.

At least the sleeping bag is getting some use than to have it left to dust at the storage room right now.

Ace cheered while Grim stared at me with an unimpressed look at how I agreed easily. “Sweet! You’re the best!”

Grim, if I can’t say no to Seiran when he gave me the same look of wanting something out of me, I’m not sure if I could do the same with Ace.

_Wait, who is Seiran-_

I stood, empty milk carton at hand and headed for the hallway. I spoke, “Sorry Lando, can you help and get the sleeping bag out of the storage room?”

Lando, who had been on standby at the halls, saluted me. “Sure.”

And off he goes.

“…I know you can see dead people but it’s definitely weird to see you talking to them casually.”

I tilted my head at Ace, who followed after me as I walked towards the hall. “Why wouldn’t I? It’s not like they’re trying to murder me in my sleep right now.”

At Ace’s blank look, I simply shrugged. “…Besides, ghosts rarely ever lied.”

The dead men may tell no tales, but from my experience of ghosts so far while I’m here, they rarely, if ever lied. They keep some things, yeah, but they have been truthful in answering most of the things I questioned if I asked.

“Anyway, there are some instant noodle cups and noodle packs at the kitchen cabinet if you’re still hungry; you gotta cook them on your own though.”

I bought them for Grim earlier since he’s curious to their taste and Sam is giving them a big discount at the time so I bought them.

Ace looked at me like he’s gauging me and I stare back at him with a raised brow. “I used to help my little brother sneak around the night for midnight snacking back home and while I don’t know you that well yet, I also feel like you’re the type to sneak out for something to eat in the middle of the night. This case with the tart not withstanding;”

I remember a little now.

I remember some moments I had with the members of my family and people I used to know.

My youngest little brother, no, Seiran, started this habit of sneaking in some midnight snack for himself after he saw me drinking milk late in the night and for some reason, he always knew whenever I’m off for the kitchen to get something.

…The memory merge is gradual from what I gathered so I’m just letting the merge of my previous self and Shiina Yuu into one whole individual come as they go.

“…When’s your birthday actually?”

“It’s February 11, why?” I answered.

“Hah! I’m older than you!” He stuck his tongue out at me.

And yet you acted more like the little brother.

But I kept quiet instead of voicing it out.

“Anyway, thanks for the cup noodle!” Ace waved at me before he walked towards the kitchen. Meanwhile, Grim walked beside me.

“You sure about letting Ace sleep in the same room?” Grim questioned me as we were on the way to get the sleeping bag.

I nodded. “Yeah and besides, we still kept our proper distance from each other this way.”

Plus, Ramshackle still had a lot to repair beyond the necessary facilities.

The one actual bedroom that is usable outside of my shared room with Grim is _only_ half cleaned up the last time I checked.

Unless I actually press the Headmaster for repairs, he doesn’t seem like he’d bother to do it at all.

He could afford to put more effort in being “benevolent”, as he likes to put it.

Either way, both of us walked over the halls to find Lando and prepare to turn in.

Maybe in ten minutes, hopefully.

***

_“Bad fight?”_

_“With Tsuyuki.”_

_“Yuki? Are we talking about the same Yuki?”_

_“No it’s a different Yuki, who else was I talking about?”_

_“Haha, to be fair, it’s pretty rare for Tsuyuki to start a fight.”_

_“He got fed up at how some of his peers treated him because I’m his sister.”_

_“Ah.”_

_“…I’m tired uncle.”_

_“Hmm?”_

_“I tried to keep going despite all the trouble I get into because of a ghost or Youkai attempting to cause mayhem just because they found out about my ability but I’m getting tired of this. Mom and dad are getting too weary having to clarify the rumors about me that seem to keep building up for years. I still can’t forget what mom once said to me even after she apologized four years ago. Seiran is too young to understand all of this and now, Tsuyuki…”_

_“The situation back home’s gotten that bad?”_

_“The fight with Tsuyuki just feels like the tip of the iceberg.”_

_“…Alright, I’ll call Haruya-san to let him know that you’re staying with me for the while until your fight with Yuki blows over. I’ll bring Shiratama along with her toys, food, cat tower and bed here. Sawa will probably want to join along with you as well.”_

_“…Thanks.”_

_“You’re welcome.”_

_“…Really, thanks for believing me all these years;”_

_“I’m just doing what I could Yuu. You tried your best for your family, and so do your parents and brothers trying their best to help you.”_

_“…I know.”_

_“…Sometimes, that’s what it means to be human. You do the right things sometimes, and make mistakes the other half.”_

_“…Say.”_

_“Hmm?”_

_“...Do you think they’ll be happier if I’m gone, Uncle Souren?”_

***

I woke up before I could see the end of the conversation.

The memory I see this time has my own self looking older than my own appearance in the first memory I recovered.

Considering that I can see dead people…

I’m not too surprised that my family had to deal with the problems to do with what being able to see dead people entails.

Though from the looks of it, I seem to be the only one who had the ability to see them while my parents and maybe, little brothers, don’t.

But Youkai… that’s new.

Then again, I remember my younger self mentioning “Hanako-san” at her school’s toilet, and Hanako of the toilet is a pretty popular urban legend.

From the looks of it, the memory felt almost _too_ recent.

I don’t look any older than my current appearance now that I think about it.

I’m still missing some memories to understand the full context but… I think I have some idea to what my life was like before I was brought here.

...I should think about it later.

I’m still missing a few pieces to fully grasp what my life was like.

***

5:46 AM.

That was the time I left my room when I looked at my phone.

I couldn’t really sleep after I saw that memory so I decided to go ahead and take a shower.

Ace and Grim are both still sound asleep at their respective sleeping bag and bed as I grabbed my change of clothes.

As I head out for the bathroom, Louie hovered in the halls with a box in hand.

“You’re up early lassy!” He greeted when he noticed me.

“Yeah, can’t get back to sleep so I figured I should just get a shower and do something else.”

Louie nodded at me. “Oh right, the Headmaster just arrived to give you this!”

The Headmaster?

“He teleported away as soon as he arrived though.” Louie added.

Oh well.

I took the box from Louie while he helped carry my change of clothes in exchange.

I opened the box to find a folded letter. Placing the box on the ground, I folded the letter open and read:

_“Yuu-san,_

_Here’s your set of school uniforms along with a schedule for your class and a guidebook to the school facilities._

_You and Grim-kun are placed in Class 1-A, classes start at 9 AM and end at 3:00 PM to up to 4:00 PM depending on the day._

_Breakfasts for students are usually served from the cafeteria; however, students also have the option to make their own breakfast in the dorms kitchens if they wish. Dinner is also served in the cafeteria for students as well._

_I’d like to meet you after school in regards to your student ID and identification papers as there is specific information that only you yourself can fill in to complete them._

_Regards,_

_The benevolent Headmaster”_

Putting the paper down and noting the time, I brought out one black blazer, a blouse shirt, a gray vest and black pants.

…The blazer’s a bit too big for me. The blouse shirt is fine and the pants… I can roll them up a little.

No blazer for me.

I fold the blazer back in place and opted to wear the hoodie sweater I was planning to wear.

If Kalim can wear a Cardigan, I can wear a hoodie.

I looked at the box to see around 5 more sets and underneath the uniform set, is what I guessed was the physical class uniform. There are also neck ties.

…At least my bag would be big enough to cover for the uniforms and books.

“I’ll bring the rest of these back to your room with Sans and James help while you go take your shower lassy.” Louie offered.

I nodded at him. “Thanks.”

Louie gave me his ever present smile and I head my way towards the bathroom.

***

There was a loud knock echoing the dorm halls shortly after I got dressed after my shower.

I’m not used to wearing a neck tie so James had been trying to teach me how to do so when we heard the knock.

Sans waved past me, checking out who our guest was instead.

So I once again follow James’ instructions and successfully made a knot for my uniform neck tie.

I follow it up by wearing my heather-periwinkle hood sweater on top.

“Thanks for the help James.”

“No problem!” The ghost smiled at me.

Then, Sans came back notifying me. “It’s a boy with a spade tattoo!”

Deuce?

I turned to James, he nodded. “Go greet your friend lassy! I’ll be looking for Louie to wake Grim-yboy and the heart tattoed whipper snapper up to get them ready!”

“Right, thanks!”

I walked towards the foyer, opening the door, greeting a flabbergasted Deuce.

“Morning Deuce, sorry if Sans scared you.”

Deuce blinked before he regained his composure. “Right, good morning Prefect.”

“…Please call me Yuu.”

Deuce stares at me for a bit before nodding and complying. “Alright; sorry but… is Ace here?”

I beckoned him inside the dorm and closed the door once Deuce has gone inside. Now that I noticed it, he held two bags at each hand.

“He’s at the room down the hallway but since it’ll take some time for him to wake up, let’s wait at the lounge, I’ll guide you there.”

Deuce nodded at my offer and we walked.

“I got him a sleeping bag to sleep in and the only room we had right now that had an actual working air conditioner applied was the room I’m in so-“

A yelp and shriek echoed the halls as we headed for the lounge.

“Ah, Louie and James probably decided to scare them awake with a prank.”

Deuce gave me a blank stare at how I talk about what Louie and James probably did to wake Ace and Grim up.

When we reached the lounge, I was about to guide him when I hear him scream behind me.

I turned to see Deuce on the ground, looking shaken as he stares at a direction.

“Deuce?”

“Yuu, your kitchen…” Deuce’s hands pointed towards the kitchen, the door was just near the windows of the lounge.

The door was open, and there were some equipments floating.

I head over to the kitchen to see what’s up and…

There’s Lando, floating some of the utensils and equipments in the kitchen, he used his abilities as poltergeist to turn on the stove and then he opened the fridge and took out some of the eggs and bacons I bought yesterday and kept in the fridge.

…Yeah.

A poltergeist using his powers to cook is just as weird as it sounds.

“…Lando, you cook?”

Lando heard me but he didn’t turn his head, focused on cooking. “Oh hey, morning;”

Lightly waving his hand, he controlled the stove and caught the toast that jumped out of the floating toaster with his abilities.

“Are they even safe to eat?” I scrutinized the toast that is set to an empty plate.

“Louie, Sans, James, and a handful of other ghosts employed by that crow cooked for the students here and they’re all 100% safe to eat.”

Huh.

I decided not to bother Lando with more questions for the time being and got back to checking on Deuce.

“It’s just Lando. He’s cooking, apparently.”

Deuce blinked as I mentioned Lando. “…The poltergeist?”

“Yes.” I showed my hand to him and helped him up.

Once Deuce stood and regained balance, he let go and then bowed. “Pardon me. I’m honestly still not used to… well, most of this.”

“It’s fine Deuce.” I lightly shook my head.

“Still… I need to get acquainted and adapt to this, as an honor student.”

…Well.

“There’s no harm in being surprised Deuce, you lived most of your life believing most ghosts are invisible and never met a person who can actually see them in a daily basis. You don’t need to get used to it right away. Just take your time.”

I see Deuce’s eyes lighting up a bit and he puffed his chest. “…Yeah! I’ll do my best!”

It was at this moment that Grim and Ace finally showed up at the lounge, with Louie and James hovering behind them.

Ace slumped and had his hands on his knees as Grim lie down on the floor. Grim’s fur looked like its flying all over the place to one direction while Ace… well; he’s relatively unscathed safe for his drenched hair and face.

“The heck was that…” Ace panted.

I shifted my eyes to the two ghosts.

“No worries! We took it easy with them!” James assured me.

“Tell Lando boy to save some of those breakfasts for us three!” Louie waved his hand at me.

“Can ghosts even eat solid food?” I questioned them.

“We can certainly try!” James and Louie simultaneously grinned at me before they let us go.

“So you’re really here…” Deuce trailed off towards Ace.

“Geh, Deuce.” Ace made a mock gagging noise at him.

“Here.” Deuce unceremoneously shoved one of the bags he held towards Ace. “It’s some of the spare uniforms from your closet and your make-up kit.”

Ace took a look at the bag, and then at Deuce, his lips curving to a cat like grin. “Aww you’re worried for me?”

“Wha- I- I wasn’t-“

I clapped my hands before the duo could get into an argument with each other. “Talk later. Lando’s cooking breakfast right now, it should be done soon.”

Ace and Grim both gawked at me. “Ghosts can cook?”

“I asked Lando the same thing and he told me that the food at the cafeteria is majorly cooked by the ghosts the Headmaster employed, and, I quote, 100% safe.”

I ended that by mimicking Lando’s tone.

“Anyway, let’s not waste it since Lando bothered to cook in the first place. And it saves time from having to go all the way to the Cafeteria to get breakfast.”

Deuce nodded at me before turning to Ace. “You should also apologize to the dorm head as soon as you could too.”

Ace grimaced at the reminder. But he decided to ask. “Is he still mad?”

“…Well, I had to leave early to find you but he still doesn’t look too happy earlier and three people met the same fate as you.”

“He hasn’t calmed down at all!”

***

We headed straight towards the Hall of Mirrors after a rather uneventful breakfast.

Lando’s a real good cook, surprisingly.

Maybe I should ask him for help sometimes.

Ace and Deuce guided both Grim and I towards the mirror for Heartslabyul’s dorm through the crowd of students leaving.

It’s 7:43 AM when I looked at my phone earlier before we entered the Hall of Mirrors as I place the phone back into the bag.

I’m guessing most of the students are about to head towards the school’s cafeteria for their breakfast.

When we landed our feet on the ground, our eyes feast upon the sight of a breathtaking castle surrounded by a lush green garden around it.

Pots of rose plants are lined beside the roads leading towards the castle like dorm. The flag with the logo of the Heartslabyul dorm stood firmly near them.

A fountain can be found at the center of it all, water flowing out continuously.

“Fnah~ This place is so gorgeous and pretty! It’s a completely different place compared to ours!”

I drawled. “Clearly, any other dorm would look fancier than a rundown haunted mansion.”

That aside, Ace and Deuce guided us to the garden of roses first to see if any of the seniors are there, as the other students had certainly gone to the main building for breakfast.

So we walked around the gardens and saw an orange haired older student standing among the many trees with roses planted in them. Some of the roses are white.

“Man, I gotta be careful with the paint splotches or else it’ll be off with my head-“

I’m having Déjà vu’s from that dream sequence of the Alice in Wonderland movie now-

Before we could speak, the student noticed us. “What do you need from me?”

Ace implored. “What are you doing?”

“Oh, I’m painting the roses red!” The student cheerily replied.

Deuce and Ace staggered backwards. Deuce exclaimed. “Wha!? Why would you paint the roses red!?”

The senior instead grinned. “Ahh your reactions are so fresh it’s cute~”

His eyes lit up in recognition at the sight of Ace and Deuce. “Ah, now that I think of it, you two are the infamous 10 million dollar chandelier breakers from yesterday, right?”

Ace groaned, murmuring about how the incident is going to follow him for the rest of the year.

The senior’s eyes then went to me and he let out a loud. “Ah!”

He pointed at me.

“You’re the brave magicless kid who became Ramshackle dorm’s prefect and the one who used a broomstick on our infamous first year here!”

…Uh.

“Maaann, Riddle-kun had been curious after he saw how all the flames were extinguished so quickly after he and Azul-kun just caught the cat monster with you there back then. It took talking to Kalim-kun yesterday to actually find out who the mysterious brave volunteers were!”

...Uh?

“…So I take it everyone of the school knows who I am?” I implored, curiosity piqued.

“Pretty much! Most of the school already knows you and the other three kids as the brave volunteers!” Cater answered with cheer, then adding. “Oh, somebody recorded your fight with Ace-chan there yesterday and it’s gotten real popular throughout the school’s social media grapevine!”

…What.

What do you mean somebody recorded the fight?????

“The chandelier breakers and the brave volunteer… you make quite a group! How lucky of me to meet you guys early in the morning!”

He winked at us. “Hey hey, let’s take a picture together! Yay~!”

I didn’t manage to duck when the shutter sound of the phone’s camera rang throughout the place.

The student showed us his phone’s screen of the picture he had taken. “Hey, can I share this at Magicam? Oh, what are your names so I can tag you?”

Though surprised, both Deuce and Ace gave the student their names and I followed suit with Grim chiming in.

“Ah, I’m Deuce-chan and co’s senior, third year Cater Diamond!” He raised his free hand to his head, forming a V-signature and winked. “You can call me Cater-kun or Cay-kun, nice to meet you~”

…He’s… pretty… well… I lack words. Carefree doesn’t seem to fully describe him.

“…Wait, I shouldn’t be talking to you guys so laxly like this! I gotta paint the roses red!”

His eyes gave a glint that looked like an idea popped up in his mind, and he requested. “Say, can you guys help me paint the roses red?”

“Why do we have to paint the roses red?” Ace questioned.

“Well, because red is pretty photogenic!” The senior replied, continuing. “Next, I got to change the color of the crocket flamingos for the upcoming party in two days, so I’m swamped with lots of work…”

“You got weird chores.” Grim commented.

Painting the roses red… flamingos for a crocket…

If this world reveres the famous and iconic Disney villains and if I’m also going by what I remember of the original book by Lewis Carroll…

“Are you preparing for the Unbirthday Party?” I questioned.

Cater’s eyes widened, but that look of surprise quickly morph into excitement and glee. “Yep! I’m surprised you actually knew about that Yuu-chan!”

I could feel Ace and Deuce both drilling holes at my head so I shifted my attention towards the duo and mouthed “Later” before I elaborated to the senior. “I was looking up at the history of the world yesterday in the library and from what I see you were doing, it fits the description.”

Not a lie. Grim and I spent some hours in the library after all.

Cater nodded, humming in understanding before he turned to Ace and Deuce, explaining. “Anyway, the dorm head chose a certain date where nobody has a birthday of and have a tea party, hence, the Unbirthday party!”

“What kind of tradition is that?” Ace exclaimed.

“Anyway, I’ll be explaining later, now help me paint the roses!” Cater beckoned and brought a paint bucket with a paint brush.

“You can also use magic to paint them red!” He informed Deuce and Grim.

While Cater went over to the two to tell them how to use magic to paint the roses red, I decided to go ahead and start painting the roses with Ace following me and we started painting them.

We both spent some time painting in silence as Deuce and Grim helped Cater to paint the other roses.

Ace decided to break the ice midway.

“So are you actually going to talk about how you have a different but similar Queen of Hearts back where you came from?”

“Nah, telling others that I’m from whole other alternate universe is a bad idea and potential trouble in the making.” I shook my head.

“You believe in the alternate universe theory?”

“Why deny the evidence?” I motioned my free hand and show off my hand as I did.

“Besides, what with my current situation, it’s a plausible theory at this point-“

I cut myself off before I could finish.

My breath hitched as my eyes saw a figure of a person wandering the maze like garden.

Before I could call out to that person, I made a misstep, forgetting that I was on the ladder earlier and stepped back-

I fell onto the grass on my back, the paint brush I was holding earlier fell onto my right as I let it go in a moment of panic and surprise at the lack of a ground.

“Oi Yuu! You okay there!”

I slowly rose from the ground.

Ow, my butt.

At least I didn’t crack my head, or even my neck or my spine.

Grim is on my left, eyes watching in concern. I turned and see Ace at my right with Deuce and Cater standing behind him.

I slowly made my way to stand on my feet, Deuce stepped forward and helped me up by grabbing my right arm before letting go as soon as he saw that I’m standing firm.

“You hurt anywhere?”

I gave a non-commital hum to Ace in response. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

Ace furrowed his brow at me. “You fell from a freaking ladder at a relatively high altitude, any normal person would be screaming in pain.”

I shrugged instead. “Well, pain is pain whether or not I complain about it. It’s not like anything would change if I scream about it.”

“Now now I get you’re concerned but the trees aren’t particularly tall.” Cater assured Ace. “We do have people falling from the ladders sometimes so I’m sure he’s fine!”

He then turned to me. “Still, what got you falling down from the ladder though?”

“I saw someone at the maze earlier. I’m pretty sure I saw someone with silver wavy hair…”

Cater looked thoughtful when he heard my answer. “Silver hair? Hmm…” He then exclaimed, informing us all at the same time. “Oh! That’s one of Wonderland’s phantoms!”

…Phantom?

Cater elaborated. “The Wonderland that the queen of Hearts once ruled over had been a chaotic place where even many stranger things happen. Sometimes, you see phantoms of some of the old residents of Wonderland wandering around or even people! You can see them but they can’t see you or hear you. That’s why we call them Phantoms!”

“…So like ghost sightings?”

Cater laughed. “Something like that!”

“Still, why do we have to paint the roses red?” Ace decided to ask once more, inputting. “They’re fine as is with white roses.”

Cater shook his head and explained. “Nah, can’t do. It’s tradition to have red roses for the Unbirthday Party. Plus, the crocket flamingos have to be in the colors of a rainbow with the hedgehogs as the balls. Those are one of the many rules that the Queen of Hearts had decided long ago!”

Grim gave the senior an unimpressed look. “I said this once but I’m gonna say it again. You got really weird rules, you know.”

“As weird as it is, those are the rules that the Queen of Hearts had decided. Riddle-kun’s pretty passionate when it comes to the rules.” He told Grim but then he admitted. “Though I do admit he can get too far with abiding the rules to a T…”

“Oh yeah.” Ace remembered what he came for in the first place and implored. “Is the dorm head still in the dorm?”

“Ah, he’s still in the dorm right now, but about that Ace-chan…” Cater trailed off. “Do you have the tart of apology?”

“Huh?” Ace gaped. “No, I just came here empty handed.”

“No huh…” Cater’s hand reached to the magical pen at his blazer. “Rule 53: One must always return what they stole. Since you didn’t come back with a tart, I’m going to have to kick you out.”

Oh no-

I grabbed Ace and Deuce by their arms and drag them away before they could react.

“Grim come on!” I called after the cat monster as I drag the duo away despite their protests ringing my ears.

Grim blinked for a moment before he followed after us.

***

It was when we reached the exit of the maze that Ace loosens my grip on his arm while I let go of Deuce’s.

“What was that for?” Ace scowled at me.

“He was going to attack us just for the sake of kicking us out.” I told him, and indirectly, to Deuce and Grim.

“Now that you said it, Diamond-senpai’s smile looked almost grim earlier when he realized Ace didn’t bring in the tart of apology…” Deuce placed a hand under his chin, looking thoughtful.

“I only noticed because I saw his hand reaching for his magical pen.” My hand now reached for my phone in my sling bag. I looked at the time.

8:39 AM.

If I remember what the schedule said earlier-

“The bell’s about to ring.”

Lo and behold, the sound of a bell resounded throughout the dorm.

“Oh no, classes are about to start!” Deuce gasped.

The bell during 8:40 AM is for late wakers or those who haven’t gotten to the academy building yet.

Grim’s eyes widened. “We gotta go now! My first day of my shining school life is about to be tarnished!”

I put the phone back in my bag and all four of us made our dash towards the school building.

***

Classes are actually mundane now that I think about it; it’s not that different from a regular school at any rate.

The first class of the day was Magical Potions and it was pretty interesting. (We made it into class, thankfully.)

I was hoping this world’s alchemy could try something beyond potion creating but oh well, beggars can’t be choosers.

(Our teacher then happens to be 1-A’s Homeroom teacher apparently. Deuce helped with making me wear the labcoat for this class with magic. A bit too big on me but he tried and I appreciated it.)

The next class was Magical History.

It was fun because I get to learn some more about the world’s history, but very sleep inducing because of how Professor Trein’s voice drone to a monotone. (I’m so glad I had a habit of doodling on my notes to keep myself awake while also simultaneously taking them.)

The third class was Physical Education.

It’s as normal as it goes when you have a class with someone who is into musle training to a crazy degree.

Oh, the school had three sets of restrooms and changing rooms for students depending on what they identify as. According to the guidebook from the Headmaster;

The girl’s restroom is only accessible to students who identify as female or for female visitors.

The third set wasn’t named but it’s mainly for students who are currently transitioning and others who identify outside the common known gender spectrum such as Non-Binary, Demigender, and others, and are identified by the letter “Q”.

I got changed in what I shall dub as the “Q” changing room earlier to save me the awkwardness of having to see a bunch of naked boys.

Seeing my brothers’ change out of their clothes is one thing, whole strangers are another. Nope;

“Man, for a magic school, classes are pretty normal.” Ace started as soon as we left our previous class.

I shrugged. “Studying doesn’t really change no matter where you go. At any rate;”

“It’s been very subdued too so there hasn’t been a problem so far since my magic is sealed at the moment… say, what do you think Grim-“

Ace looked down to see Grim nowhere in sight.

Before the three of us could look at where Grim has gone, we hear-

“Fnah! Let me go! The great Grim doesn’t want to go back-“

Splash!

“That should keep you behaved for a while until we bring you back to Yuu.”

“Fnah…”

The three of us turned back.

Ten steps behind us are Kasper, Lyle and Mel.

Lyle is holding on to a completely drenched Grim by the scruff of his neck.

Kasper was the first to notice me and greeted me. “Hey! Come get your cat here!”

I blinked my eyes for a moment.

“…Right, Hello. I’ll take this gremlin cat off from your hands.” I walked towards them and grabbed Grim from them, properly carrying him.

I thought Grim would have actually behaved now that he got to be a student… but I guess I’m expecting too much from this gremlin cat from hell.

“I don’t want to study and go to class…” Grim complained. The fire in him metaphorically and literally snuffed due to getting drenched in water.

“Then you’re just going to stay a weak and dumb magician for all four years. Keep this up and I’ll give my word to the Headmaster to get you out of the school.” I reminded him without prompting.

I looked up, and checked yesterday in the library that Night Raven College runs a 4 year high school system instead of a 3 year one like a majority of the Asian schools are (Japan included), so there.

Ace snorted, finding glee in Grim getting a dressing down from me with Grim weakly groaning.

“Oh yeah, Yuuyuu, is that our uniform you’re wearing?” Mel wondered.

Lyle and Kasper then took notice as they look at my current choice of attire.

I curtly answered. “Long story short, I got involved in an incident that involved a chandelier breaking incident by virtue of trying to rescue Ace, went on a wild adventure to get the Magic Crystal and somehow got enrolled to be a student. A 2-in-1 student to be exact;”

Lyle nodded. “Must be an adventure you have there.”

“Pretty much;”

“I heard a magicless kid got enrolled as the new prefect for Ramshackle but I didn’t think it’ll actually be Yuuyuu!” Mel gave a light hearted laugh. He then asked. “Is it because of the incident yesterday?”

Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t know my involvement in the whole chandelier incident. They probably thought Grim and I were witnesses.

“Yeah, it’s been… unexpected.”

Deuce cleared his throat. “Pardon me; the three of you are…”

Mel introduced first. “The name’s Mel Ansell! I’m an Ignihyde first year in class 1-E!”

“Lyle Martin, I’m Ignihyde boy’s classmate in 1-E and I’m sorted into Octavinelle.” Lyle followed.

“The names Kasper Latifi! I’m in 1-C and sorted to Scarabia!” Kasper finished, grinning toothily at Ace and Deuce.

“Ah, I’m Deuce Spade.” Deuce introduced himself in return with Ace following suit.

“I’m Ace Trappola and we’re in 1-A!”

Grinning, he asked the trio. “So how did you know Yuu actually?”

“Oh, we were the ones that Yuuyuu called for help to extinguish Grimmy’s flames during the entrance ceremony!” Mel answered.

“Grimmy?” Grim raised a brow at the Ignihyde student for his nickname.

Ace gaped for a moment before he laughed. “Haha! Man, what a group we make together.”

“The chandelier breakers and the entrance ceremony fire fighting group… pretty mismatched if you ask me.” Lyle commented.

“Now now, since we’ve all introduced ourselves…” Mel turned towards me. “By the way Yuuyuu, what’s your next class?”

“It’s Magic Analysis if I remember it right.”

Mel grinned. “Cool! Lyle-y and I from 1-E are going to have a joint class with yours! Kassy’s class is joining too!”

“Really? That sounds pretty cool!” Ace chimed in.

Ace and Mel started talking and getting to know each other as the group of four turned seven now walks together towards our next class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Black or white chapter 6 Abridge edition:  
>  _Ace used Little brother’s charm! It’s super effective!_  
>  Welcome to the Heartslabyul chapter! Part of the reason why I got this up as quick as I could was because I wanted to write it out before I get back to working on thesis again haha.  
> The title of this chapter is brought to you by the Deemo track of the same name, it's part of the composer, Sakuzyo's music album "Pop Candy Wonderland".  
> I mixed in a bit of the English verses of the “Painting the Roses Red” song into the dream sequence because I realize the game is using the Japanese dub of the scene and when I made comparisons, the Japanese dub of the song doesn’t seem to rhyme too well so… I decided to mix a little of both.  
> My idea for the interior layout of Ramshackle is inspired by this fanart by K who is making a series of how Ramshackle interior layout is like. You can find their twitter [here](https://twitter.com/tomatowars).  
> I just realized that there’s quite a lot of Dungeon Bypassing from this.  
> The in-game Rhytmic where you meet the 3 Ramshackle ghosts for the first time, the infamous 0-14 Rhytmic, and now this…  
> Anyway.  
> [I recently released a side story for this story](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27671977>) and it mainly focuses on how the other characters (Be it canon or original) see Yuu (Rei) and the events of the story proper, feel free to check it out!  
> That's it for now.  
> Feel free to comment on your way out and lastly, thank you for the Kudo's to this story!  
> See you next time!  
> \- shuu

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Counting Sheep](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25378711) by [KlonoaDreams](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KlonoaDreams/pseuds/KlonoaDreams)




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